Plea for change in carefor asthma sufferers

A CHARITY has called for a change in asthma care after research showed the condition costs the UK at least £1.1 billion each year.

Asthma UK said a different approach making the best use of new technologies, such as smart inhalers, was needed urgently to ease the burden on the NHS.

More than 270 people are admitted to hospital each day because of asthma attacks with at least three deaths daily, according to the most comprehensive study of the condition in the UK.

The UK-wide research, led by the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research at Edinburgh University, found there were around 6.4 million GP andnurseconsultationsfor asthma each year.

Researchers estimated £666 million is spent annually on prescription costs, with £160m going on GP consultations, £143m on disability claims and £137m on hospital care.

The team said the findings confirmed the UK has one of the highest burdens of asthma in the world.

Kay Boycott, chief executive of Asthma UK, said: “Despite the fact we’re spending more than a billion pounds a year on asthma, many people are still not receiving care that meets even the most basic clinical standards.”

Professor Aziz Sheikh, director of the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research at Edinburgh University, said: “Even with conservative assumptions, we find almost 100,000 people are admitted to hospital and there are at least 1,000 deaths from asthma each year in the UK.

“This is unacceptable for a condition that, for most people, can be managed effectively with help from a GP.”