Charity warns that lung health neglect is a major factor in’staggering hospital admissions’

A charity warns that years of lung neglect are suffocating NHS. In England, there were 1.7 million admissions for respiratory problems in hospitals last year.

According to an analysis conducted by Asthma + Lung UK, breathing problems are the most common reason for emergency admissions across England.

The charity wants lung diseases, the third leading killers in the UK, treated by the NHS as urgently and with the same focus and urgency as cancer and heart conditions.

The report, “A Mission for Lung Health”, stated that last winter, more than 300 000 people were admitted for breathing problems, including nearly 90 000 children.

In England, breathing problems accounted for 13% of emergency admissions. This is higher than cancer, heart disease and musculoskeletal disorders.

Asthma + Lung UK said that to reduce the burden of breathing problems on the NHS in winter, it is important to take a proactive approach to care all year round, rather than relying solely on firefighting.

It said that the level of care for people suffering from lung diseases has fallen to its lowest ever recorded levels.

The charity argues that by prioritising early intervention and prevention, the government can reduce emergency admissions dramatically, save thousands lives and relieve the NHS of its burden.

The study calculated that improving basic care alone for asthma and COPD could save the NHS 729 million PS annually and reduce hospital stay by over 272,000 beddays, nearly 100,000 of which are during the winter.

The report noted that while there has been a significant improvement in the mortality rate from heart disease – 58% over the last 20 years – lung health only saw a 14% increase.

Sarah Sleet is the chief executive of Asthma + Lung UK. She said that lung conditions silently suffocate the NHS. They are pushing it to its breaking point, and caused 66,524 fatalities last year.

Hospitals are overwhelmed with emergency admissions due to breathing problems, especially during winter.

“More lives are at risk if we don’t take urgent action. The 10-year plan of the government is an opportunity that comes only once every decade to completely rethink our approach to improving lung health. The NHS will struggle if we don’t make a radical change in how we diagnose and treat lung diseases.

The NHS needs a year-round approach to prevention, including vaccinations. It also requires timely diagnosis, access to treatment and annual reviews, along with key measures like smoking cessation and improved housing. These efforts can reduce hospital admissions and relieve pressure on NHS Services, as well as reduce health inequalities.