Guidance on the use of inhaler systems (devices) in children under the age of 5 years with chronic asthma

To enable clinicians to audit their own compliance with this guidance it is recommended that, if not already in place, management plans are recorded for each child with chronic asthma. These plans should record the type of devices prescribed.

This information should be incorporated into local clinical audit data recording systems and consideration given (if not already in place) to the establishment of appropriate categories in electronic record systems.

Prospective clinical audit programmes should record the proportion of treatments adhering to the guidance. Such programmes are likely to be more effective in improving patient care when they form part of the organisation's formal clinical governance arrangements and where they are linked to specific post-graduate activities.