Asthma sufferers in the Thames Valley area got a major boost recently when a group of medical professionals from the Aylesbury and Chiltern areas participated in a conference to train them with skills needed to help their condition, focusing especially on the correct way to use an inhaler.

Over 130,000 people in the Thames Valley alone suffer from asthma, so it is essential professionals covering this area ensure they have the skills needed to help patients. Asthma sufferers, too, need to ensure they understand how to use equipment such as inhalers correctly as difficulties can arise if they are not used in the correct way.

It will also help reduce the time taken to hospital emergency department, enabling medical professionals to devote more time to treating other conditions.

The joint lead for the Buckingham Asthma and COPD project, Marilyn Plummer, said: ““With the correct treatment and management, the majority of people with asthma should be able to live without symptoms.[…]It’s important that people know how to use their inhalers correctly and effectively to get the best out of them and help manage their asthma with the support of a well-trained nurse or GP.”

The skills learnt at the conference will undoubtedly help those sufferers and is something that we will see more of in the future, helping asthma sufferers in other parts of the country.