{"id":645388,"date":"2026-10-05T11:42:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T11:42:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/645388\/"},"modified":"2026-10-05T11:42:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T11:42:10","slug":"asthma-adviceline-reduces-ed-and-out-of-hours-visits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/645388\/","title":{"rendered":"Asthma Adviceline reduces ED and out-of-hours visits"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new way for clinicians to refer people with asthma for advice and support aims to provide benefits for patients and the wider health service, writes Michael McHale<\/p>\n

Healthcare professionals can now refer patients directly to a free asthma helpline through Healthlink, the HSE\u2019s electronic messaging system.<\/p>\n

The development makes it easier than ever for people with the condition to access the Asthma Adviceline, an initiative of the Asthma Society of Ireland.<\/p>\n

The Asthma Adviceline is a free, nurse-led service that complements the care provided by GPs and practice nurses by offering personalised education and self-management support.<\/p>\n

The service is designed to help people better understand and manage their asthma, improve adherence to treatment plans, and reduce the risk of flare-ups.<\/p>\n

A recent survey of service users found benefits for the patient and wide health sector. Two-thirds of respondents said they avoided attending an ED due to the phone line, while 68 per cent reported fewer hospital admissions overall.<\/p>\n

Asthma is a variable condition that often requires ongoing guidance beyond scheduled consultations<\/p>\n

Some 73 per cent said they needed fewer GP or out-of-hours visits due to the service, while the proportion requiring no oral steroid courses increased from 11 to 35 per cent.<\/p>\n

A retrospective review of 288 patients completing the Asthma Control Test through the service also found that 90 per cent improved their asthma control scores, while every respondent said they would recommend the service.<\/p>\n

\"Mary<\/p>\n

Mary McDonald \u2013 Patient Services Manager at Asthma Society of Ireland<\/p>\n

However there is room for improvement. An Asthma Society of Ireland survey, which was launched on World Autism Day on May 5, found that more than one-in-three children with asthma had been hospitalised in the past year, with 14 per cent hospitalised at least twice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that asthma is a condition that requires ongoing support, not just care during scheduled appointments,\u201d said Asthma Society of Ireland patient services manager Mary McDonald.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new Healthlink referral pathway makes it easier for healthcare professionals to connect patients with our free, nurse-led Asthma Adviceline, giving them access to trusted advice and education between consultations.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy working alongside GPs and practice nurses, we can help more people improve their asthma control, build confidence in self-management and ultimately reduce avoidable flare-ups and hospital visits.\u201d<\/p>\n

Practice nurses and GPs play a vital role in supporting people living with asthma, but asthma is a variable condition that often requires ongoing guidance beyond scheduled consultations.<\/p>\n

The new Healthlink referral pathway provides an opportunity to connect patients with specialist respiratory support when they need it.<\/p>\n

Patients referred to the service receive advice from experienced asthma nurse specialists with expertise across primary, secondary and tertiary care. Depending on their needs, they may also receive specialist physiotherapy or dietetic support, alongside practical education on inhaler technique, asthma action plans, trigger management, asthma control, lifestyle factors and seasonal health.<\/p>\n

The service works alongside existing clinical care by reinforcing the treatment plan agreed with the patient\u2019s healthcare professional. It does not diagnose conditions or prescribe medication.<\/p>\n

The HSE-funded Asthma Adviceline is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday by calling the freephone number 1800 44 54 64.<\/p>\n

It is a call-back service, meaning that asthma patients, carers and families who reach out will be put in touch with a respiratory specialist nurse.<\/p>\n

The Asthma Society of Ireland also offers a HSE-funded WhatsApp messaging service on 086 059 0132, which allows patients with asthma and their families and carers message a respiratory specialist nurse about all aspects of their disease management.<\/p>\n

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can also access help through the whatsapp service. COPD Awareness Month takes place throughout November 2026, with World COPD Day observed globally on Wednesday, November 18.<\/p>\n

The month encourages everyone to understand risk factors, recognise symptoms, and support vital research for better lung health.<\/p>\n

The Asthma Society of Ireland is encouraging healthcare professionals to integrate Adviceline referrals into routine asthma care, helping patients access expert advice and education between consultations while supporting better long-term asthma control. Healthcare professionals can make referrals directly within Healthlink by selecting Asthma Society under the referral menu and choosing Asthma Adviceline. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A new way for clinicians to refer people with asthma for advice and support aims to provide benefits…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":645389,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[22744,274037,203538,103,274038,61,60],"class_list":["post-645388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-asthma","tag-asthma-adviceline","tag-asthma-society-of-ireland-asi","tag-health","tag-healthlink","tag-ie","tag-ireland"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/645388","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=645388"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/645388\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/645389"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=645388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=645388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=645388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}