RESPIRATORY SYSTEM | Right Decisions

Right Decisions
TAM (Treatments and Medicines) NHS Highland
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HIGHLAND FORMULARY
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Please update your RDS mobile app to version 4.7.1

We are pleased to advise that deep linking capability, enabling users to directly download individual mobile toolkits, has now been released on the RDS mobile app. When you install the update, you will see that each toolkit has a small QR code icon the header area beside the search icon – see screenshot below. Clicking on this icon will open up a window with a full-size QR code and the alternative of a short URL for sharing with users. Instructions are provided.

You may need to actively install the update to install RDS app version 4.7.1 to see this improvement. Installing this update is also strongly recommended to get the full benefits of the new contingency arrangements – specifically, that if the RDS website should fail, you will still be able to download new mobile app toolkits.

To check your current RDS version, click on the three dots bottom right of the RDS app screen. This takes you to a “More” page where you will see the version number. To install latest updates:

On iPhones – go to the Apple store, click on your profile icon top right, scroll down to see the apps waiting to be updated and update the RDS app.

On Android phones – these can vary, but try going to the Google Play store, click on your profile icon top right, click on “Manage apps and device”, select and update the RDS app.

Please get in touch with ann.wales3@nhs.scot with any questions.

Relevant guidelines:

Respiratory Medicine guidelines
Respiratory Inhalers: a guide to identification, prescribing and technique.
SIGN 158 British guideline on the management of asthma produced in conjunction with the British Thoracic Society.
NICE CG101 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in over 16s: diagnosis and management
GOLD Global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease

Patients should receive regular face-to-face review to ensure correct inhaler technique, self-management (where appropriate) and concordance with agreed treatment. Information for patients is available at http://mylungsmylife.org/. Consider referring patients with COPD to pulmonary rehabilitation.

To achieve optimal compliance with inhaled therapy consider the following:

base the choice of inhaler device on patient acceptability, suitability and cost.
patients should only be given a device they can demonstrate they can use; many adults struggle to use metered dose inhalers (MDI) therefore dry powder inhalers (DPI) or other breath activated devices should be considered.
always take appropriate time to teach and check inhaler technique.
where possible use the same inhaler device if a patient requires a number of different inhaled medicines.
reduce the number of inhalers by use of appropriate combination products.

CFTR modulators (Formulary)

Guide to Highland Formulary inhaler devices (Formulary)

Bronchodilators

Corticosteroids

Leukotriene receptor antagonists (Formulary)

Antihistamines, hyposensitisation and allergic emergencies

Respiratory stimulants and pulmonary surfactants (Formulary)

Oxygen (Formulary)

Mucolytics (Formulary)

Cough preparations (Formulary)

Antifibrotics (Formulary)

Devices for respiratory conditions (Formulary)

Acute asthma (severe/life-threatening) (Formulary) (1)