Mayo asthmatics not using valuable free advice service

MAYO has 12,509 asthmatics, yet the Asthma Society's free advice service did not receive one since call from the county last month.

Asthma Society CEO Sarah O'Connor is calling on people with asthma in Mayo to use the adviceline to help them to better manage their asthma.

She said: “More than 12,500 people in Mayo have asthma. We want people in Mayo to know about the free adviceline service and to use the service so that we can help people with asthma feel well, keep their asthma under control, and live full lives, symptom-free.”

The free adviceline has proven to have a positive impact on people with asthma. Appointments are tailored to the needs of the caller.

Asthma specialist nurses work through every aspect of life with asthma: what to do in the event of an asthma attack, answering questions after a GP or consultant appointment, dealing with triggers that may be causing asthma to escalate, and helping you put together an asthma action plan to self-manage your condition.

Last year, a partnership survey undertaken with the HSE showed that 70% of people under 50 who used the adviceline found it reduced the numbers of days they missed from school or work as a result of their condition and nearly 80% of people who called felt more confident in managing their asthma after speaking to our nurses.”

The asthma adviceline is available at 1800 44 54 64.

Callers can book an appointment by calling the free phone number between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. A call-back appointment with an experienced specialist respiratory nurse specialist will be scheduled for a time and day that suits the caller.

In 2016, the Asthma Society of Ireland’s Asthma Adviceline was awarded an independent quality mark by the Helplines Partnership, one of only three helplines in Ireland to have achieved this standard.