Asthma clinical nurse specialist team
- Rachel Stead
- Donna Ell
- Rachael Graham
The clinical nurse specialist (CNS) team for adult asthma works closely with a multidisciplinary team composed of:
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medical staff
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physiotherapists
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clinical psychologists
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speech and language therapists.
The team also incorporates allergy and occupational asthma CNSs to deliver personalised care and support for individuals living with severe asthma in order to effectively manage their condition as both in- and outpatients.
The asthma CNS team provides the following services:
- telephone and email support
- asthma management plans
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medication advice
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homecare therapies (sub-cutaneous terbutaline).
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anti-IgE (Xolair) therapy
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complex asthma interventions
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specialist asthma clinics
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inpatient review and education
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training for ward nurses, cardiothoracic MSc nursing students, local asthma nurse specialist teams and primary care nurses
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transition clinics and support.
Anti-IgE (omalizumab/Xolair) service
Omalizumab (Xolair) is given in injection form to reduce the symptoms of asthma. It is offered to patients who have severe allergic asthma that does not respond to inhaled or oral asthma therapies, including high oral corticosteroid use. It works by reducing the effects of inflammatory cells which cause asthma symptoms.
The Xolair clinic runs five days a week (Monday to Friday) in Lind ward. More than 90 patients receive therapy on a two or four weekly basis.
Patients must complete a 16-week assessment of the therapy during which objective measures of symptom improvements are reviewed and a clinical decision made in conjunction with the lead consultant before the continuation of the lifelong treatment.
Contact details
Asthma
Telephone: 020 7351 8919
Email: asthma@rbht.nhs.uk
Allergy
Telephone: 020 7352 8121 extension 4407 or 07483 338 174
Email: e.wilson@rbht.nhs.uk