Best Practice in Nursing Newspaper Issue 1 | Page 18

RESPIRATORY SPECIALISTS:
WELCOME TO INHALER PACKAGING
The UK Inhaler Group has welcomed
the announcement from AstraZeneca
of a change in the colour of the
Duaklir® Genuair® inhaler from white
with a turquoise-blue cap and dosage
button to white with an orange cap
and dosage button.

that blue colouring on inhaler devices
should therefore be reserved for
reliever inhalers and not used on
inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) “preventer”
inhalers, in case patients are confused
and take extra doses of ICS rather
than using their reliever inhaler.

In the UK, it is common practice
among healthcare professionals,
patients and patient support groups
to describe short-acting beta2-agonist
(SABA) in halers such as salbutamol
and terbutaline as “blue” or “reliever”
inhalers. This has led to association
of blue inhalers being used as
emergency “as required” inhalers
for urgent relief of breathlessness,
wheezing and chest tightness.

Concern had been expressed that
turquoise-blue colouring on the
Duaklir® Genuair® inhaler could
cause patients to mistakenly use
this inhaler more often than the
recommended dose of one puff
twice a day, putting them at risk of
side effects.

The UK Inhaler Group recommends

The change in colour of the device
reflects a proactive response from
AstraZeneca to concerns from
patients and professional organisation
about the importance of colour coding
inhalers.

The UK Inhaler Group is made up of
representatives of the Association of
Respiratory Nurse Specialists, Asthma
UK, British Lung Foundation, British
Thoracic Society, Education for Health,
Primary Care Respiratory Society,
Respiratory Education UK, the Royal
Pharmaceutical Society and the UK
Clinical Pharmacy Association.

Best Practice in
Nursing is hosting an
Asthma Masterclass for
respiratory nursing
WITH VIV MARSH
Wednesday 21 October
See full programme on page 4
Register at www.bestpracticeshow.
co.uk/nursingnews

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE
YOUR FLU VACCINATION, SAYS PHE
Frontline NHS staff, including practice
and community nurses, have been
urged to have the flu jab this year as
part of the national flu immunisation
campaign.
Public Health England has written to
general practices and other healthcare
providers reminding them that it is part
of the healthcare worker’s duty of care
to protect their patients or clients from
the risk of infection by ensuring that
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they themselves are immunised against
flu.
Last year’s campaign saw just 55% of
frontline NHS staff vaccinated – against
a target of 75%. The target for 2015-16
is again 75%, but says PHE, 100% of
staff should be offered flu vaccination.
Vaccination has been shown to reduce
the level of sickness absences, another
important factor in managing winter

pressures in the NHS, as well as
reducing the risk of infecting vulnerable
patients.
PHE wrote: “Flu is a key factor in NHS
winter pressures. It impacts on those
who become ill, the NHS services that
provide direct care as a result, and on
the wider health and social care system
that supports people in at risk groups.
The annual immunisation programme
helps to reduce unplanned hospital
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