Your asthma action plan

“Using an asthma action plan makes it easier to look after your asthma every day, so you’re less likely to need hospital treatment for an asthma attack."

Dr Andy Whittamore, Asthma +Lung UK’s in-house GP.

Your asthma action plan tells you:

• which medicines to take every day
• what to do if your asthma symptoms get worse
• what to do if you have an asthma attack.

If you’re not using an asthma action plan yet, it’s easy to get started:

• Download or print a free asthma action plan.
• Take it along to your next asthma appointment and ask your GP or nurse to help you fill it in. Talk through the plan together so you’re clear on how to use it.
• Ask them to print a copy out for you, or send it to you by email, SMS or WhatsApp.

We also have asthma action plans for MART (Maintenance and Reliever Therapy), and AIR (anti-inflammatory reliever).

Our adult asthma action plans are available in a range of different languages.

Find out more about our child asthma action plan. 

1. Keep it where you can see it

Ask for a digital copy so you can save it on your phone or computer. You could also take a photo to save on your phone.

If you have a paper copy, keep it somewhere where it’s always easy to find, such as with your medicines and inhalers.

2. Share it with others

Whether it’s a paper or a digital copy, share your asthma action plan with friends and family, so they know what to do if you have an asthma attack.

Having clear instructions written down on an asthma action plan makes it easier for you and others to know what to do if you have an attack.

You might also want to share your asthma action plan with people you work with. 

3. Take your action plan to all your appointments

Take your asthma action plan along to all your asthma appointments so your GP or nurse can make sure it’s up to date.