Asthma admissions to hospital soar with NHS treating 200 cases every day
ASTHMA admissions to hospital are soaring with the NHS treating 200 cases every day.
Figures show there were 77,261 last year — up 47 per cent in five years.
And there were 8,074 in January this year, the highest monthly figure since 2014.
It comes amid increasing concern over a rise in asthma deaths to more than 1,000 a year, the highest in a decade.
Some experts blame lack of basic care for the toll.
Asthma UK says more than 3million of Britain’s 5.4million sufferers miss such help.
It includes an annual review with a GP or nurse in which inhaler technique is checked and an action plan on managing the condition is drawn up.
Others blame climate change, with its extreme hot and cold weather triggering breathlessness and tightness in the chest.
Dr Samantha Walker, of Asthma UK, said: “The unrelenting rise in hospital admissions for asthma is alarming.
“The reasons aren’t clear but the figures reinforce our concern that not enough people are receiving basic asthma care.
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“That’s really worrying as it keeps people out of hospital and ultimately saves lives. We need a national effort to improve care for everyone and make more treatments available.”
The annual NHS care bill for sufferers, who include one million children, is around £1billion.
The figures were provided by NHS Digital.
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