The Adult Asthma Service

Our service

Since the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our asthma clinics have restored full-service operations. We are now offering in-person assessments, diagnostics and educational support in line with the public health recommendations.

Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of our patients and staff. Infection prevention measures continue where appropriate.

Our Asthma Service is committed to providing high quality care. We aim to support those individuals and their families to achieve optimal Asthma control, reduce exacerbations and ultimately improve their quality of life.

All new patients that are referred into the Adult Asthma service are screened by one of our Asthma Nurse Specialists and allocated to either the Nurse Led Clinic or Severe Clinic. Care is delivered by a skilled multidisciplinary team working in line with the national asthma guidelines.

We are committed to ongoing service improvement through regular reviews, audits and patient feedback. We want to ensure our Asthma service remains safe and effective to the needs of our patient population.

CONTACT DETAILS

We are aware that it can be difficult to get information and we are doing our best to make sure that there is always a way that our patients can contact the service for help. 

There may not be someone available to answer your call, but please leave a message and someone will get back to you; or alternatively email us on the below address.

If your symptoms are severe or urgent. Please seek immediate medical attention or contact emergency service.

For any non-urgent queries about your condition or treatment:

Asthma nurse specialists: Chloe Maurice, Alison Scale, Alison Ellis, Amy Lowe, Pam Birks & Olivia Darley- Coyle -01782 674068

Email Contact: uhnm.adultasthma@nhs.net

Administrative queries:

Asthma Coordinators- Rambhajan Dubb & Deb Meakin -01782 675948

CLINICS

Our asthma clinics have restored full-service operations, and we continue to provide specialist assessment, diagnosis and ongoing management for individuals with asthma.

We support patients to improve asthma control, prevent flare ups and provide educational support.

What we offer;

·         Routine and urgent asthma reviews

·         Personalised Asthma Action Plans (PAAP)

·         Inhaler technique checks

·         Education and self-management support

·         Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Test (FeNO)

·         Refer on for potential biological injections

·         Diagnostic Tests including Spirometry

APPOINTMENTS

Asthma Clinics are now running face-to-face appointments, with telephone or video consultations available when appropriate. Referrals are usually made by your GP or Healthcare professional.

 

Aims

Mission statement: To improve asthma control through partnership working with patients

Our aims and objectives

The core aims of the asthma service will be to improve patient outcomes, including decreased exacerbation frequency, measured by reductions in emergency visits, hospital admissions and oral steroid courses, as well as improved mortality, improved lung function and improved quality of life.

 The objectives include:

·         Ensuring people have the correct diagnosis and receive appropriate treatment

·         To identify and minimise exposure to aeroallergen, occupational triggers and smoking

·         To improve adherence to prescribed therapies using patient education and health psychology when required

·         To recognise, treat and where possible, prevent the complications of long-term oral corticosteroids

·         To decrease exacerbation frequency and improve patient quality of life through effective self-management and appropriate patient support, including telephone clinics and other appropriate support when required

Adult Clinics – Based in Outpatients at Royal Stoke University Hospital

We hold several asthma clinics here at RSUH for patients aged 17 years and over:

Adult Clinics – Based in Outpatients at Royal Stoke University Hospital

We hold a number of asthma clinics here at RSUH for patients aged 17 years and over:

Consultant-Led Severe Asthma Clinic
Held on Thursday afternoon of each week with support from the Clinical Nurse Specialist and a Respiratory Registrar.

Nurse-Led Asthma Clinics
Held on Monday and Friday mornings of each week.

Nurse-Led Omalizumab Clinic
Held each Wednesday throughout the day.

Joint Asthma and Obstetric Clinic
Held once per month on a Monday morning with the Asthma Clinical Nurse Specialist and Obstetrics.

Joint Respiratory Psychiatry Liaison Clinic
Held once per month on a Tuesday morning with the Asthma Clinical Nurse Specialist and a Psychiatrist.

If you are unable to attend your clinic appointment, please contact the team to rearrange.

You can check-in for your appointment via the kiosks in the main atrium at RSUH or alternatively you can check-in at the Outpatients department reception.  Your appointment letter may contain instructions for you to follow - please ensure that you do follow all instructions given.  At your appointment, the following will normally happen:​

Measurements will be taken – heart rate, oxygen levels, peak flow, height and weight

If required, you will be taken to have breathing and/or allergy tests.

You will be reviewed alongside test results by either the Consultant, Clinical Nurse Specialist or the Registrar.

A management plan will be devised for each individual patient.

Dr E Idris - Consultant Respiratory Physician and Asthma Lead

Dr E Idris - Consultant Respiratory Physician and Asthma Lead

Dr Idris trained in London and was based at the Royal Brompton Hospital, with FRCP obtained in Edinburgh.  His certificate of completion of specialist training (CCST) in respiratory and general medicine was obtained in 2009 and MSc in Respiratory Medicine at Imperial College, London.  

Dr Idris' post-graduate certificate in Medical Education was achieved at the University of Wales, Cardiff.   Dr Idris has also completed clinical trial work, including asthma trials phase 1, 2 and 3. 

Chloe Maurice/  Asthma Service Lead/ Educator


Chloe qualified in 2012 with a BSc (Hons) and has worked across a range of specialties, including critical care. She has spent the past seven years working in primary care, where she developed a strong interest in respiratory medicine.


She joined the Severe Asthma Team in 2024 as an Asthma Nurse Educator, working predominantly in primary care to support clinicians with asthma management and proactively identify patients who may benefit from referral to the Severe Asthma Team for more advanced treatments.


Chloe has recently taken on the role of Lead for the Severe Asthma Team.

Alison Ellis- Asthma Clinical Nurse Specialist

Alison qualified in 2011 and has worked within Respiratory medicine for a number of years. Alison has worked on the wards in many different specialities such as Gastroenterology, General medicine, Respiratory, Diabetes and 4 years as a COPD specialist Nurse.

Her specialist interests are severe asthma and General Respiratory. Alison has completed the Principles of Health Assessment module (Level 6). For the past 4 years she has worked as a member of the asthma team. 

Alison Scale- Asthma Clinical Specialist

Alison qualified in 2000 having studied at Coventry university. She has worked within different specialities even working in Australia for 12 months before settling into Emergency medicine.


She joined Royal Stoke University Hospital in 2005 where she worked on the Medical Assessment unit, Emergency Department and Ambulatory Emergency Care before joining the Asthma Team in 2018.


She has completed a BSc (Hons) in Speciality Nursing Practice (Adult).

Amy Lowe – Asthma Clinical Nurse Specialist

Amy qualified in 2018 and has worked within Respiratory medicine since qualifying. Starting out as a staff nurse on a Respiratory ward before joining the COPD Team as a Respiratory Specialist Nurse, gaining experience in the assessment and management of patients with COPD. 


Amy has completed the Principles of Heath Assessment Module (Level 7 Masters) enhancing her advanced clinical assessment, diagnostic reasoning and decision making in Respiratory Care. She later progressed into the role as an Asthma Nurse Specialist in January 2025.

Pam Birks- Asthma Clinical Nurse Specialist

Since qualifying in 2008 I have worked in a variety of respiratory specialist areas within UHNM and within the community setting.

I enjoy working within the Asthma service and supporting patient's in our asthma service. 

Olivia Darley-Coyle- Staff Nurse (Asthma Team)

Olivia started her career within the NHS in 2011 as an apprentice in the Audiology department, moving to the imagining department in 2012 and then joined the Asthma team in 2015. Since joining the Asthma Team Olivia has completed multiple qualifications including qualifying as a Registered Nurse Associate in 2021 and then returning to Keele University to qualify as a Registered Nurse in 2024. 

Olivia has interests in Severe asthma and Asthma biologics.