2024 BTS/NICE/SIGN asthma guidelines have the potential to improve UK asthma outcomes, but we must act now

Crooks, Michael G; Sykes, Dominic L; Horne, Robert R; Cummings, Helena; Roy, Kay; Fynney, Alex; Whittamore, Andrew; Faruqi, Shoaib; Freeman, Daryl; Quint, Jennifer K; Hickman, Katherine; Bostock, Bev; King, Joanne; Dyson, Judith

2024 BTS/NICE/SIGN asthma guidelines have the potential to improve UK asthma outcomes, but we must act now

Crooks, Michael G and Sykes, Dominic L and Horne, Robert R and Cummings, Helena and Roy, Kay and Fynney, Alex and Whittamore, Andrew and Faruqi, Shoaib and Freeman, Daryl and Quint, Jennifer K and Hickman, Katherine and Bostock, Bev and King, Joanne and Dyson, Judith (2026) 2024 BTS/NICE/SIGN asthma guidelines have the potential to improve UK asthma outcomes, but we must act now. Thorax. thorax-2025. ISSN 0040-6376

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Abstract

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS TOPIC

Asthma is a common lung disease and outcomes in the UK are among the worst in Europe. The overuse of short-acting beta agonist and underuse of anti-inflammatory, inhaled corticosteroid-containing inhalers are associated with risk of exacerbations and death. The new collaborative British Thoracic Society(BTS), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) Asthma Guideline endorses an anti-inflammatory reliever-based approach to asthma management and has potential to significantly improve asthma outcomes in the UK.

WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS

We discuss the role of guidelines to support delivery of evidence-based practice and highlight the knowledge-action gap that can prevent implementation of guidelines in practice. Based on the published literature and expert consensus, we describe some of the challenges/barriers that will be faced at both a system and individual level when implementing the BTS, NICE, SIGN Asthma Guideline and tailoring theoretically underpinned strategies to address these.

HOW THIS STUDY MIGHT AFFECT RESEARCH, PRACTICE OR POLICY

The proposed framework to support asthma guideline implementation across the healthcare system can support national, regional and local efforts to improve asthma outcomes.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.1136/thorax-2025-223465
Dates:	Date Event 23 December 2025 Accepted 26 February 2026 Published Online
Subjects:	CAH02 - subjects allied to medicine > CAH02-04 - nursing and midwifery > CAH02-04-01 - nursing (non-specific)
Divisions:	Nursing and Midwifery > Adult Nursing
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	22 Jun 2026 10:47
Last Modified:	22 Jun 2026 10:47
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/17075