Asthma and COPD clinic
Sister Gill Evans
Our Asthma clinic is led by Sister Gill Evans
Information about our Asthma clinic
Clinics are held at our main Pencoed surgery on Wednesday afternoons 1.30pm to 3.30pm and at our branch surgery on Monday afternoons between 2pm and 5pm.
Appointments are released for booking on the first Wednesday of every month for the proceeding month.
Please can you bring your inhalers with you when you come for your appointment because Sister Gill Evans may want to check your inhaler technique.
Spirometry (Lung function tests) can be used as a diagnostic tool for both asthma and COPD, These appointments are 30 minutes long and are made only via the respiratory nurse because she'll have to ensure that certain criteria are fulfilled ahead of the appointment to ensure that it can be done.
These appointments are at a premium so if you cannot attend, please let us know asap so that we can offer the appointment to someone else.
How to use a peak flow meter
This is a useful video for patients with an existing diagnosis of asthma and for patients in whom asthma is suspected. Before making a diagnosis of asthma, we may prescribe a peak flow meter for you to use to collect a series of peak flow readings over a period of time, usually twice a day. People with asthma will usually have a tell tale pattern that helps us to clarify a diagnosis. Of course, this information is only reliable if the readings are taken properly and are reliable. This video shows you now to do it. As ever, if you're still unsure, the local Chemist or Gill can show you what you should be doing.
How to use a metered dose inhaler
This video from Asthma UK demonstrates how to use a metered dose inhaler. These inhalers are not always as easy to use as they look and, if you think about it, if you're not using it properly then you're not going to see the benefit. In fact, we see patients many times, who have poorly controlled asthma and it's nothing to do with the medication itself but that they're simply not using their inhaler properly.
Take a minute to look at this video and if you're still not sure, ask your Chemist to show you how to use it or make an appointment to come along and see Gill
Signs that your asthma is getting worse
In this short video, one of the Asthma UK nurses talks through some typical signs that your asthma is getting worse and what to do about it.
How to look after and clean your spacer
So, we've prescribed a shiny new spacer for you to use, but now it's starting to look a bit grubby and this could affect how well it works. In this video, one of the Asthma UK nurses demonstrates how to properly take care of your asthma spacer