The Asthma Register

My 12 year old son has been refused a flu jab even though he has asthma on the grounds he is not on the Asthma Register. Does anyone know what this register is or anything about it? The receptionist at the doctors refused to answer any questions about it and just told me to get him done privately at Superdrug when I tried to ask what it was. (Her information was wrong on that point as Superdrug flu vaccination service will only vaccinate over 18's.). I am in Hampshire, England

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I've never heard of this - could this be a register at your doctors surgery? Can I ask if it was your doctor who refused or the receptionist? If it wasn't the GP I would be tempted to ask to speak to your GP direct and ask him/her why. If you are unhappy you can also write a letter to your GP asking him/her to put in writing their refusal to give the vaccination with their reasoning.

If you are still unhappy you have other options such as making a formal complaint to your PCT and/or changing GP.

I think it would definitely be worth insisting on some more information from your surgery on their rationale in the first instance and asking them what they mean by an asthma register.

Best of luck

Fee

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Most surgeries will have ""registers"" for chronic disease. It's a crude, but effective, way of ensuring all people with a specific disease get the care they need - for example, sending letters to everyone on the asthma register to get them to attend for their asthma review. It's a ""virtual"" list, i.e. there isn't a piece of paper anywhere with a list of names on (although in the olden days before the widespread use of computers there might have been!).

It sounds as if your son may have somehow been missed off your surgery's asthma register. Book an appointment with a GP and discuss it with them.

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The Asthma Register

Hi Aspie Mum

I used to run the clinical side of the Chronic Disease Registers at a GP surgery before I became to unwell to work, The disease registers are part of the Quality and Outcome Framework introduced by the Government in 2003 to ensure people with certain diseases were being monitored in the hope the diseases would be better controlled and prevent hospital referrals and admissions. The GP Practices earn their money by meeting the set targets for that financial year (1st April to 1st April) and are sent electronically on the 31st of March each year when targets for each area should be reached. The diseases include, Asthma, COPD, Angina, Atrial Fibrillation, Stroke, Hypertension, Diabetes, Mental Health, Kidney Disease and certain blood and tests etc have to be done and recorded within the year. The asthma guidelines are below:-

The asthma register is the percentage of patients aged 8 and over diagnosed from 1/4/03.

Excluding patients with no asthma treatment within last 15 months.

A review where peak flow and inhaler technique is carried out within the last 15 months from 1/4.

Asthmatic patients aged 16 and over should have flu jab from 1/9 until 31/3 every year. If they have had hospital admission or on steroid preventative inhaler.

Patients aged 8 and over from 1/4/07 have measured variability and irreversibility.

GP receptionists would not know about the guidelines and should have told you to speak to the asthma nurse. If your son meets the above guidelines he should be on the register and maybe you could make an appointment with the asthma nurse who can put him on the register and give him an asthma review.

Hope this has been helpful.

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Hi there all.

I'm not sure if its the same system in Scotland and am curious if anyone else would know.

My daughters 6 and has had the seasonal flu jag for the last 3 years. Our surgery has a set day this year to give those who qualify it but its not till the 28th of this month.

Would anyone know if she'll automatically recieve the swine flu jag (whenever we get it) or will I have to request it.

She's on high doses of meds (for her age) and I'm not sure if that'll make a difference.

Thanks in advance

Anne

xx

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Asthma Register

Anned47,

The Chronic Disease Registers are used in England only. Your Daughter would not be in the register if she lived here. Guidelines for Swineflu jab available on direct.gov website are also for England only and include the 6months to 65 years who are in the at risk groups and receive seasonal flu jab.

I would speak to either your GP or hospital consultant if your daughter is under hospital care. My daughter suffered with chronic bronchitis and was under hospital consultant and was given the pneumovax and yearly flu vaccinations if though she did not fit the guidelines as the consultant recommended it.

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The Asthma Register

Thank you to everyone who has replied. I have made an appointment for my son to see our GP to find out more about this register and whether my son qualifies.