Cadham Pharmacy Health Centre, Glenrothes

Bernadette continuously works to fulfill her vision of changing the hearts and minds of the public – gaining their trust to support them to look after themselves better with their long-term health conditions in which prevention is at the heart of her thinking.

Bernadette works with seven GP practices, who have all agreed that she can look after their patients with acute asthma or COPD exacerbations, and support them thereafter in their long-term management of their breathing and quality of life.

For example, Bernadette has lent her expert assistance to Alison who lives alone and, during COVID in particular, has been struggling, not just with her breathing, but with her mental health and wellbeing. As a result, Bernadette has supported her with checking her inhaler technique and conducting a medicines review; providing lessons on breathing style, and helping Alison practice until she was able to remember the long, slow, deep and steady breaths required to attain maximum benefit from these mist inhalers. Refill time and how long to shake the canister were subsequently discussed too.

Over the last four years Bernadette has built up a portfolio of case studies evidencing that what she is achieving for asthma patients is sustainable, and that the changes the public are choosing to make are life-long habits. With this in mind, a FeNO Niox machine was invested in and added to her asthma clinic checklist.