Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 June 2020 to Question 60724, what steps his Department is taking to ensure at-home treatment of severe asthma patients is available and offered to all patients; and what assessment has been made of the clinical capacity released within respiratory units as a result of such home management.
Specialist respiratory services for severe asthma, along with urgent and emergency treatment for other serious complaints, have continued throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. In most cases people with severe asthma have been able to receive their medication at home instead of having to attend hospital through increasing home care support and via access to remote outpatient consultations for new patients.
Although clinical capacity was re-directed to support care of patients with COVID-19 and this need has reduced, trusts are also required to prepare for potential future waves of COVID-19 and this will affect the clinical capacity required particularly in respiratory units. Regions have oversight of the local plans developed by each trust.