The National Asthma Council (NAC) Australian Asthma Handbook – the national guidelines for health professionals, was launched by The Hon. Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Ageing, at a webinar on Tuesday 16 September.
Minister Butler said, “Congratulations to the National Asthma Council on delivering the latest initiative in its asthma awareness and education program. 2.8 million Australians, that’s 1 in 9 people living with asthma. They all depend on their health care teams to make informed decisions, guided by the latest clinical advice and practical tools. The updated Australian Asthma Handbook will support primary health professionals to better diagnose, manage and treat those conditions. It provides the latest evidence-based guidance and advice on all aspects of asthma diagnosis and management."
The webinar also includes an introduction by Prof Nick Zwar, Chair of the NAC Guidelines Committee.
The review of the Handbook was led by a multidisciplinary network of leading expert primary care and specialist contributors on the NAC Guidelines Committee.
This follows extensive research and a comprehensive review of national and international evidence and an analysis of website user experience with a diverse group of GPs, nurses and pharmacists.
Prof Zwar thanked and acknowledged the Guidelines Committee - dedicated health professionals that contributed an enormous collaborative effort to review the evidence, prepare drafts and review materials.
A/Prof Debbie Rigby, NAC Clinical Executive Lead, and Dr Brett Montgomery, NAC Guidelines Committee member led the webinar discussion about the updated advice with case studies around diagnosis, treatment and management of asthma.
View Minister Butler's introduction
Watch the webinar recording
Read more in the National Asthma Council media release
Visit the new Australian Asthma Handbook website
