Asthma death rate soars to rank among the worst in Europe

BRITAIN’S asthma death rate is now among the worst in Europe with a 20 per cent rise in deaths in five years, research shows.

Experts said a lack of basic checks was leading to hundreds of deaths in Britain, two in three of which could have been prevented if the right care was provided.

The analysis shows the UK rates are the fourth worst in the European Union, with 1,434 deaths a year.

The rate is almost 50per cent higher than the EU average, with only Estonia, Spain and Cyprus faring worse.

Experts said Britain’s figures were “truly shocking” and had deteriorated by 20 per cent in five years.

Asthma UK said their research found 65per cent of people with the condition are not receiving the basic care they need, such as yearly reviews to ensure they are using their inhaler properly and an asthma action plan. In 2014, a national review found two thirds of asthma deaths – and nine in 10 involving children – could have been prevented. Around five million people suffer from asthma in the UK.

Dr Samantha Walker, the director of research and policy at Asthma UK, says: “It is truly shocking that so many people in the UK are dying from asthma attacks and that while other countries are improving, we are lagging behind.”

She said lack of awareness that asthma can be fatal meant it was not taken seriously enough. “While we don’t know for sure why the UK is performing so poorly in preventing deaths from asthma, we think a lack of understanding could play a part,” she said.

“Asthma kills and we are urging the NHS to invest in better frontline asthma services, for people with asthma to make sure they take their medication properly, and for healthcare professionals to take asthma seriously, diagnose asthma patients effectively, and treat them promptly.”

Overall, the rate of asthma deaths in the UK was 2.21 per 100,000 people in 2015, a rise from 1.83 in 2011. The average rate over the period was 1.98 per 100,000, compared with an EU average of 1.32. The lowest rates were found in the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Greece, with rates of 0.56, 0.52 and 0.15 per 100,000 people respectively.

The 2014 review led by the Royal College of Physicians, found too many GPS were prescribing patients with the wrong medication to keep down costs.