Call for doctor asthma training

British GPs urgently need better training in the care of asthma, campaigners claimed yesterday.

Most GPs recognise their knowledge could be improved, according to a survey conducted for World Asthma Day.

The findings alarmed the government – as they seemed to challenge the ability of GPs to commission services for a common condition like asthma.

The survey was conducted by Asthma UK and the Primary Care Respiratory Society.

It found that more than 50 per cent of GPs were unable to give correct answers to questions about the current UK guidelines for the care of asthma. A similar number recognised their own knowledge of asthma care could be better.

And two thirds of GPs felt the profession’s knowledge of the disease could be improved.

Asthma UK said doctors needed better training in the subject.

Chief executive Neil Churchill said: "These findings show that asthma training is not being given the priority it deserves, despite the fact that asthma hospitalises someone every seven minutes.

"Sadly this is not a unique situation; we know that complacency about asthma also exists in many other settings, such as schools or workplaces."

A department of health spokesman said: “We know that there is no one size fits all solution to our health, particularly for long term conditions such as asthma. That is why we want to put local health experts in charge of commissioning services for patients so they have the power and budget to provide personalised care.

“To ensure we get this right we are currently pausing and listening to NHS staff and the public in the coming few weeks so we can improve our plans.”

* Meanwhile researchers unveiled details of a "baby robot" designed to boost the care of young children with the condition.

The robot will crawl around the floor like a baby – and researchers want it to identify the hazards faced by infants as they start to explore their environment.

Known as Piper, the Pre-toddler Inhalable Particulate Environmental Robotic, it has been developed by the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.