Hospital referral to secondary care

Hi folks,

I'm a 50 year young lady with Asthma. I've got 2 dogs and work part time. I walk loads and as long as it's at my pace, I'm fine. Gradients are a problem though, get very breathless very quickly. Medication is Fostair 100mg (pink inhaler) 2 puffs 3 times daily with a Montelukast 10mg pill once daily. Blue inhaler for relief. Still struggling though. Been given Prednisolone tablets today, 6 daily for 5 days to see how I react and a possible referral to secondary care was mentioned. My question is, what's Secondary Care?

Thanks folks, Diane.

[angievere]

Hi Diane,

I've not heard the term 'secondary care' before so just googled it. From what I understand it means care by a hospital based specialist, ie referral to a consultant.

Hope things improve for you.

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Primary care would be your GP etc at your surgery.

Secondary care is at a local hospital with appropriate expertise, like Consultants at an outpatients respiratory clinic.

There's Tertiary care too, so if your Consultant has done all they can with you and would like you to see someone more specialist you'd go somewhere like Royal Brompton, Heartlands or Wythenshawe which have difficult/severe asthma clinics.

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Hi folks and thank you.

Replies much appreciated.

Diane.