Asthma - useful links

HSE websites

Industry specific sites. These include information related to the industry and related health and safety topics:

• Agriculture
• Chemicals
• Food manufacture
• Health services
• Motor vehicle repair
• Woodworking

Substance specific sites. These include information related to substances and related health and safety topics:

• Latex
• Metalworking fluid

Other sites

• COSHH For information on the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), including regulation and the law

External

HSE is not responsible for, and cannot guarantee the accuracy of information on sites that it does not manage; and the use of a hyperlink does not mean HSE endorses the linked site.

• Allergy UK A national medical charity set up to increase understanding and awareness of allergy, to help people manage their allergies, and to provide training in allergy for health care professionals. You will find information, advice and support on all the common allergies, and obtain details of your nearest NHS allergy clinic and the allergy specialist involved.
• AllRefer This website gives a lot of detail about asthma, the symptoms, common asthma triggers and information on the use of inhalers.
• Asthma UK This tells you about asthma, treatments, news, education, research and support. There are leaflets for people with newly diagnosed asthma, a movie What's asthma all about? and details of an Asthma Helpline run by trained nurses. The Helpline number is 08457 010203.
• BBC On this site you can find information such as what asthma is, the causes, treatment available and how to manage asthma. There's also a section devoted to asthma organisations and support services.
• BBC News Health: Medical news - Asthma The BBC news website on the health/medical notes page, gives details of news items about asthma.
• British Lung Foundation This site provides information about lung disease, Breathe Easy Clubs working for breathless people, research and involves strong links with respiratory professionals.
• British Occupational Health Research Foundation A non-profit making grant awarding charity contributing to the physical and mental well-being of employees. BOHRF raises and deploys funds for occupational health research.
• British Occupational Hygiene Society The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) is a multidisciplinary learned society which now has members in over 30 countries. The Faculty of Occupational Hygiene within BOHS provides examinations and qualifications in occupational hygiene and related subjects as well as regulating the occupational hygiene profession and maintaining a list of consultants offering specialist occupational hygiene advice. The site includes year 2003 Asthma Workshop presentations.
• British Medical Journal Healthcare professionals will find a collection of abstracts and articles on asthma related research.
• The British Thoracic Society The British Thoracic Society (BTS) is the official body of respiratory specialists. The society includes medical practitioners, nurses, scientists and any professional with an interest in respiratory disease.
• Centre for Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Manchester This site includes details of The Health and Occupation Reporting network (THOR) project which is responsible for the collection of specialist-based work-related ill-health data, including that relating to occupational asthma. It contains references to research into disease reporting and the Surveillance of Work-related Occupational Respiratory Disease scheme (SWORD).
• Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, at Royal Brompton Hospital This website provides information on occupational and environmental lung disease. You will also find information on research projects, publications, teaching courses and the members of the departments.
• Education for Health Education for Health is a powerful merger of two of the UK’s leading education institutions for health professionals: the National Respiratory Training Centre (NRTC) and Heartsave. It aims to provide a consistent, comprehensive and innovative approach to professional health training across the fields of cardiovascular disease and respiratory health, with the ultimate objective of transforming lives worldwide. Educational programmes are run nationally and internationally and are accredited by the Open University.
• Global Initiative for Asthma This site aims to increase awareness of asthma, for example through World Asthma Day. It also includes reasons for prevalence, associations between asthma and the environment and improving asthma management. Documents and resources include a patient guide and teaching slides.
• The Health Council of the Netherlands The Health Council of the Netherlands (Gezondheidsraad) is an independent advisory body whose task is to advise Ministers and Parliament in the field of public health. The Dutch expert Committee on Occupational Standards (DECOS) has published its evaluation on wheat and other cereal flour dusts. Search on wheat to look at a copy of this document.
• Industrial Injuries Advisory Council This site explains what the IIAC is and how it advises on matters relating to the industrial injuries scheme. There is a list of prescribed diseases for which benefit may be paid and they review any available new evidence on occupational diseases.
• National Health Service A search under Asthma includes an organised programme for the care of patients with asthma and articles on asthma from NHS Magazine.
• NHS Choices This site is part of a gateway to health information and includes symptoms, causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment.
• NHS Improving outcomes for people with Respiratory Disease is a key priority for the NHS. To support the Outcomes Strategy for COPD and Asthma, published last July, a companion document has been published that sets out 45 key actions for the NHS.
  The NHS Companion Document sets out 45 best practice actions to help medical professionals, commissioners and service managers to deliver across the five domains in the NHS Outcomes Framework for people with COPD and Asthma: to reduce mortality, improve quality of life, help people recover from episodes of ill health, deliver a positive patient experience and avoid harm.
• OASYS This site is run by the OASYS research group, which is part of Midlands Thoracic Society. It runs a clinical service for workers with occupational lung disease. The site is aimed at occupational physicians and supports a computer program called OASYS that helps with the diagnosis of occupational asthma by interpreting peak flow (exhaled air) information. There is information about occupational asthma and a facility for anyone to ask and answer questions on topics related to occupational asthma.
• Occupational Safety & Health Administration This site offers facts about occupational asthma in the United States and offers technical links, e.g. on recognition, evaluation and control.
• Professional Organisations in Occupational Safety and Health (POOSH) POOSH exists to promote the continuous improvement of the practice of occupational safety and health through education, communication and the encouragement of cooperation between all persons and agencies involved in the provision of a healthy and safe working environment.
• Scottish OHS Service - Offers a free occupational health and safety service - Safe and Healthy Working - for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland. The service combines a telephone helpline, regional SME advisers, expert and clinical sessions, regional advisory groups and a website. The telephone advice line (0800 019 2211) will be staffed by OHS professionals. They will give confidential advice and guidance and will direct the enquirer to other expert services if necessary.
• The Latex Allergy Support Group - This is a patient support group specifically for individuals with an allergy to latex. Telephone 07071 225838 for more information.
• Trades Union Congress This site gives details of training and information for workplace safety representatives. There is access to publications and reports, e.g. Out of breath and out of work and Rubber banned?. You can also view electronic copies of their Risks e-journal.
• UNISON Health and Safety Zone The UNISON website has some useful information on asthma on their health and safety zone page.