Community pharmacy has the potential to make a significant contribution to the care of people with asthma, according to a new report from the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC).

The report pulls together evidence from various local pilots and services from around the UK in which pharmacists and their teams have supported people to take better control of their asthma and prevent hospital admissions, for example, by improving inhaler technique. Drawing on the recommendations from the National Review of Asthma Deaths (NRAD) published last month, the report provides advice to help Local Pharmaceutical Committees discuss pharmacy based asthma services with commissioners, as well as outlining how pharmacies could eventually take over the key role in managing asthma care from GP surgeries.

“The NRAD showed once again the need to develop services to better support people with asthma to manage their medicines and condition,” said Alastair Buxton, PSNC head of NHS Services. “We already have evidence to show that community pharmacy can do exactly that in a way that is convenient for patients and affordable for the NHS.”