Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the best possible care and support is in place for everyone living with a respiratory condition regardless of gender and this includes asthma.

Over the past few years we have co-funded work with Asthma UK as part of a joint call to explore innovative applications of digital and technology in asthma treatment. Through the Chief Scientist Office, we have approximately £3.8 million of funding currently committed for research into respiratory diseases, including asthma.

The CSO has funded a study through its grant schemes relating to asthma effects in women. This was a systematic review of the scientific evidence on the role of sex steroid hormones for the prevention of asthma and allergy in women. A summary of this study is at: https://www.cso.scot.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/Focus-on-Research-CZH-4-1083.pdf .

However, we know more can be done to make sure that everyone living with a respiratory condition is able to access the care and support they need, which is why we are currently seeking views on our new Respiratory Care Action Plan (Plan) for Scotland.

The draft Plan sets out our commitments for driving improvements in the diagnosis, care, treatment and support of people living with respiratory conditions, including those living with asthma in Scotland. We want to ensure that there is wide support for our commitments to drive improvement in care of respiratory conditions such as asthma and encourage as many people as possible to respond to the consultation in order that they can share their views. The consultation also affords an opportunity to seek views on whether there is an imbalance in the number of women and men affected.

We want to hear experiences, good and bad, and learn about what we could do differently, and what we must do better to make the difference people need.

The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office (CSO) provides funding opportunities for applied health and social care research in Scotland, which includes research on gender differences in asthma, through CSO’s open competitive grant schemes and similar schemes run by the National Institute for Health Research. The quality of applications to these schemes is assessed through independent expert peer review with funding recommendations made by independent expert committees. CSO also funds the NHS Research Scotland Respiratory Research Specialty Group, which facilitates the set up and conduct of clinical studies on respiratory diseases such as asthma.

CSO has funded one study through its grant schemes relating to asthma effects in women. This was a systematic review of the scientific evidence on the role of sex steroid hormones for the prevention of asthma and allergy in women. A summary of this study is at: https://www.cso.scot.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/Focus-on-Research-CZH-4-1083.pdf .

We would encourage as many people as possible to take part in the consultation on our draft Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland. We want to ensure that there is wide support for our commitments to drive improvement in care of respiratory conditions such as asthma and encourage as many people as possible to respond to the consultation in order that they can share their views. The consultation also affords an opportunity to seek views on whether there is an imbalance in the number of women and men affected.

We want to hear experiences, good and bad, and learn about what we could do differently, and what we must do better to make the difference people need.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the best possible care and support is in place for everyone living with a respiratory condition regardless of gender and this includes asthma.

Over the past few years we have co-funded work with Asthma UK as part of a joint call to explore innovative applications of digital and technology in asthma treatment. Through the Chief Scientist Office, we have approximately £3.8 million of funding currently committed for research into respiratory diseases, including asthma.

The CSO has funded a study through its grant schemes relating to asthma effects in women. This was a systematic review of the scientific evidence on the role of sex steroid hormones for the prevention of asthma and allergy in women. A summary of this study is at: https://www.cso.scot.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/Focus-on-Research-CZH-4-1083.pdf .

However, we know more can be done to make sure that everyone living with a respiratory condition is able to access the care and support they need, which is why we are currently seeking views on our new Respiratory Care Action Plan (Plan) for Scotland (the Plan).

The draft Plan sets out our commitments for driving improvements in the diagnosis, care, treatment and support of people living with respiratory conditions, including those living with asthma in Scotland. We want to ensure that there is wide support for our commitments to drive improvement in care of respiratory conditions such as asthma and encourage as many people as possible to respond to the consultation in order that they can share their views. The consultation also affords an opportunity to seek views on whether there is an imbalance in the number of women and men affected.

We want to hear experiences, good and bad, and learn about what we could do differently, and what we must do better to make the difference people need .

Throughout the development of the Draft Respiratory Care Action Plan (Plan) for Scotland, we have engaged with stakeholders across the respiratory community and third sector, including the British Lung Foundation and Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland, to ensure that the patient voice was heard.

The draft Plan sets out our commitments for driving improvements in the diagnosis, care, treatment and support of people living with respiratory conditions, including those living with asthma in Scotland.

We want to hear experiences, good and bad, and learn more about what we could do differently, and what we must do better to make the difference people need which us why we will continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the consultation period. We would encourage as many people as possible to respond. in order to help develop and shape the final Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers are responsible for developing medicine, including determining the strength/dose, formulation and recommendations on appropriate dosages/quantity to be taken. Pharmaceutical companies invest in and undertake extensive research into developing and testing the safety, quality and efficacy of medicines. All medicines must be fully researched and tested before they can be licensed and prescribed to patients across NHSScotland. The licencing of medicines is a reserved matter for the UK Government. When a medicine is no longer in patent, it can be manufactured as a generic by any other pharmaceutical manufacturer.

The Scottish Government does not support importing any medicine, whether licenced or not, from abroad for medical use. All Health Boards in Scotland have confirmed that they are committed to:

1. a holistic and safe review of patients prescribed T3 which is undertaken by a healthcare professional based on the needs of the individual patient.

2. clinicians initiating and continuing T3 where it is safe and clinically appropriate to do so, as agreed with a NHS consultant who specialises in endocrinology.

The Scottish Government is supportive of the guidelines published by the British Thyroid Association in 2015. These are that T4 remains the treatment of choice in hypothyroidism. However, each Health Board in Scotland has confirmed that they are committed to clinicians initiating and continuing T3 where it is safe and clinically appropriate to do so, as agreed with an NHS consultant who specialises in endocrinology.

The choice of drug to prescribe from a local formulary list, or to prescribe off-formulary, is a clinical decision which will be taken in consultation with the patient.

Decisions by GPs on drugs to prescribe are based on safety, clinical effectiveness (efficacy) and cost effectiveness which is a clinical judgement. A prescriber will consider the clinical advice provided by the specialist when making the final decision about treatment for which they are responsible.

The process for community pharmacists purchasing liothyronine (T3) is the same as that for all other medicines dispensed in the community.

Community pharmacies are independent contractors who are responsible for purchasing medicines from pharmaceutical suppliers and wholesalers. They may choose to take part in buying groups which can allow them to take advantage of bulk purchasing and discounts.

The Scottish Drug Tariff determines the reimbursement price paid to community pharmacies for dispensed medicines on behalf of NHSScotland.