A hospital admission represents a window of opportunity to review self-management skills. No patient should leave hospital without a written personalised asthma action plan.

An acute consultation offers the opportunity to determine what action the patient has already taken to deal with the asthma attack. Their self-management strategy may be reinforced or refined and the need for consolidation at a routine follow-up considered.

A routine consultation should include a review of whether the action plan has been used, and if the actions need refining in the light of experience.

A consultation for an upper respiratory tract infection or other known triggers is an opportunity to rehearse with the patient their self-management in the event of their asthma deteriorating.

Collection of a prescription at a pharmacy is an opportunity to reinforce understanding of the role of medications and check inhaler technique.

A request for hay fever treatment is an opportunity to ask about asthma symptoms and reinforce the action that should be taken if symptoms increase.