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Table 1 Characteristics of participating practices

From: Practice organisational characteristics can impact on compliance with the BTS/SIGN asthma guideline: Qualitative comparative case study in primary care

Practice 1: small practice with high compliance

   • Interviewee: One female GP. No PN in practice

   • Size: A small dispensing practice (list size < 3000 patients)

   • Compliance: The best audited compliance with the three key recommendations of the BTS-SIGN guideline in the study. i.e. always used objective testing and add on therapy as indicated by the guideline with 25% of patient reporting to have Asthma action plan.

   • Staff: GPs < 4, no practice nurse, part time pharmacist on site.

Practice 2: Small Practice with low compliance

   • Interviewees: One male GP and PN

   • Size: A small dispensing practice (list size < 3000 patients)

   • Compliance: Poor audited compliance with the three key recommendations of the BTS-SIGN guideline for primary care. i.e 75% of new asthmatic had objective testing confirming diagnosis, 68% of patients receiving 800 mcg inhaled corticosteroids daily were on appropriate add on therapy but there was no provision of asthma action plans.

   • Staff: GPs < 4, practice nurse (with no asthma diploma, or prescribing ability), no pharmacist.

Practice 3: Medium practice with high compliance

   • Interviewees: one male GP and one PN

   • Size: A Medium practice (list size 3,000–8,000 patients)

   • Compliance: Good audited compliance with the three key recommendations of the BTS-SIGN guideline for primary care i.e. all newly diagnosed patients had objective testing confirming diagnosis, 55% of patients receiving 800 mcg inhaled corticosteroids were on appropriate add on therapy and 52% of patients we surveyed had asthma action plans.

   • Staff: GPs > 3, asthma nurse with prescribing abilities and asthma diploma.

Practice 4: medium practice with low compliance

   • Interviewees: One male GP and one PN.

   • Size: A medium practice (list size 3,000–8,000 patients)

   • Compliance: Poor audited compliance with the three key recommendations of the BTS-SIGN guideline for primary care i.e. 33% of new asthmatic had objective testing confirming diagnosis, 50% of patients receiving 800 mcg inhaled corticosteroids daily were on appropriate add on therapy and only 15% of patients reported to have asthma action plans.

   • Staff: GPs > 3 with a non prescribing PN with asthma diploma.

Practice 5: Large practice with low compliance

   • Interviewees: one male GP and one PN.

   • Size: A large practice (list size > 8000 patients)

   • Compliance: Poor audited compliance with the three key recommendations of the BTS-SIGN guideline for primary care. i.e. 23% of new asthmatic had objective testing confirming diagnosis, 72% of patients receiving 800 mcg inhaled corticosteroids daily were on appropriate add on therapy and only 12% of patients reported to have asthma action plans.

   • Staff: GPs > 6 and 2 asthma PNs without prescribing abilities but with asthma diplomas.