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Delays in referral of workers with suspected occupational asthma to specialist care often over 3 years in the UK

Delays in referral of workers with suspected occupational asthma to specialist care often over 3 years in the UK
The paper describes an audit of 100 consecutive workers referred to secondary specialist care over a 6 month period. More were referred by their primary care physician than their occupational physician; each worker had an average of 5 consultations with their primary care physician delaying referral for a median 3 years despite recommendations for referral of all suspected workers with occupational asthma in the national asthma guidelines. BOHRF guidelines recommend removal from exposure within 12 months of the first work-related symptom; much earlier referral will be needed to achieve this.

References

Full Text Available for Are we failing workers with symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma? Fishwick D, Bradshaw L, Davies J, Henson M, Stenton C, Burge PS, Niven R, Warburton C, Hendrick D, Rogers T, Rawbone R, Curran AD, Are we failing workers with symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma?, Primary Care Respiratory Journal, 2007;16:304-310,
Andrew Curran, HSL, Sheffield, UK, an author of 'Are we failing workers with symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma?' David Fishwick, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK, an author of 'Are we failing workers with symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma?' Chris Stenton, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, an author of 'Are we failing workers with symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma?' Sherwood Burge, Oasys, an author of 'Are we failing workers with symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma?' Roger Rawbone, Retired - ex Health and Safety Executive, an author of 'Are we failing workers with symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma?' Lisa Bradshaw, Health and Safety Laboratories, an author of 'Are we failing workers with symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma?' Chris Warburton, Liverpool, an author of 'Are we failing workers with symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma?' David Hendrick, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, an author of 'Are we failing workers with symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma?' Rob Niven, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, an author of 'Are we failing workers with symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma?' Mandy Henson, HSL, Buxton, an author of 'Are we failing workers with symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma?'

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