Asthma sufferers face 'unacceptable' postcode lottery » Health » 24dash.com

Asthma sufferers face an "unacceptable" postcode lottery when it comes to essential services, a charity said today.

A report by Asthma UK to mark World Asthma Day found "disturbing" differences in emergency admissions for children across the country, with those in the North West at greatest risk.

Liverpool Primary Care Trust (PCT), with the highest number of child emergency admissions, dealt with eight times as many cases as Richmond & Twickenham PCT, which had the lowest number of admissions.

The charity said the figures demonstrated a link between high levels of emergency admissions and low levels of service.

The Wish You Were Here? report called for a National Service Framework for asthma to be put in place as soon as possible to outline consistent standards of service.

Chief Executive Neil Churchill said: "This report paints a disturbing picture of the impact of asthma on children's lives, suggesting that not all children are getting the same access to vital asthma services, such as a local specialist asthma nurse.

"These divisions are unacceptable, particularly the staggering eight fold difference in admissions in England.

"If asthma is not controlled effectively, the effects can be devastating and in some cases fatal, which is why reducing the hospital admissions of people with asthma is a key aim for Asthma UK.

"Our campaign must act as a wake-up call to health services and governments about the costs and consequences of unnecessary hospital admissions."

From April 2006 to March 2007 there were 80,593 hospital admissions for people suffering asthma attacks across the UK, costing the NHS about £61 million. More than 40% of the admissions were for children under 15.

Asthma UK estimated that 75% of these admissions could could have been avoided through effective management and routine care, at a potential saving of almost £46 million.

The charity urged PCTs to sign up to a its Good Asthma Services Checklist, which includes offering every person with asthma a personal action plan.

Asthma UK also called on parents to play their part, making sure children have an asthma review every 6-12 months.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "The Government takes treating asthma very seriously. Across the country we have made it a priority to improve care for people with long-term conditions, such as asthma, by moving away from reactive care in hospitals to preventative, personalised care within the community.

"For example, the Pharmacy White Paper launched last month proposes a new service within pharmacies to provide support for people who have just started taking a new medicine for asthma.

"By 2010 we would expect everyone with a long term condition, like asthma, to be offered their own care plan. This will mean that they will be provided with information and self management advice to be tailored around their lifestyle. The benefits of self management can help prevent deterioration of conditions, meaning individuals stay well for longer.

"GPs are also given financial incentives to provide effective on-going management and treatment for asthma."

She added that National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) guidelines, outlining reasonable and best practice for asthma care, were available across the NHS.

Liverpool PCT said it was working with the Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust to develop an asthma care-pathway for GP practices.

A Trust spokesman said: "This work supports clinicians in the recognition, diagnosis and management of asthma in children."

There are 5.2 million sufferers in the UK, including 1.1 million children.

One in 10 children suffer from the condition and, on average, a child with asthma is admitted to hospital every 16 minutes.