Efficacy versus the costs of asthma management in primary care.

Nurses have gained increasing recognition over the past few years for their role in managing patients' respiratory care. The responsibility for many decisions, specifically treatment choice, are consequently now driven by this key group. The forthcoming general medical services contract, combined with the introduction of both formulary and supplementary nurse prescribing in the past two years, is likely to lead to a growing role for nurses in asthma prescribing. It is therefore crucial for nurses to gain an awareness of cost-effective prescribing and develop a close working relationship with prescribers in primary care trusts (PCTs).