04.01.17
Millions of asthma sufferers still ‘missing out on basic care’
Care for millions of asthma sufferers is still failing to meet basic standards, Asthma UK warned today as it published its annual survey.
The charity noted that there had been an increase in the number of people receiving the three elements of basic asthma care, but it remained unacceptably low.
One-third of asthma sufferers surveyed have had an annual asthma review, a written asthma action plan, and an inhaler technique check with a healthcare professional, as recommended by the British Thoracic Society, compared to one-fifth in 2013.
But Asthma UK noted that this means two-thirds of people with asthma are still not receiving the basic care needed to manage their asthma. This is around 3.6 million people in the UK.
In London and Yorkshire and Humber, the proportion of patients receiving basic care fell to 28%. It was higher in Scotland and Northern Ireland, where over two-fifths of patients received basic care, than in England and Wales.
Similarly, over two-thirds of those who had needed hospital treatment for their asthma did not receive a follow-up appointment with their GP within two days.
Dr Andy Whittamore, Asthma UK’s clinical lead and in-house GP, said: “It is worrying that basic care is not being delivered on a consistent basis, because every person with asthma should be receiving this care.”
The lack of asthma care meant that 82% of patients said their asthma was poorly controlled, a four percentage point increase from 2013.
For nearly a third of respondents, asthma affected their free time, and 26% reported a negative impact on their work or education. Despite this, 29% of respondents rated their care as good and over half said it was satisfactory.
However, problems with asthma care are also generating increased costs for the NHS. For instance, the cost of an emergency admission is 23 times higher than an annual asthma review.
Asthma UK urged health services to increase the use of digital technology in delivering asthma care. This could include using smart inhalers to monitor inhaler technique, making action plans accessible online and allowing patients with mild asthma to complete their assessments remotely.
Kay Boycott, chief executive of Asthma UK, said: “It is clear that expecting old ways to tackle long-standing problems won't work. We must take a bold, new approach and take advantage of new asthma digital health solutions to transform the way asthma care is delivered and support self-management.”
Responding to the review, an NHS England spokeswoman said that whilst the organisation recognises the important issues in this annual survey, “we also expect patients to take shared responsibility for managing aspects of this long term condition”.
“It is important that patients consult with their GP where necessary and know how to use their medication properly,” she added. “In future, digital solutions may improve dialogue with health professionals and ensure the widespread development of personal asthma action plans to help avoid unnecessary and costly hospital visits for treatment.”
(Image c. Yui Mok from PA Wire and PA Images)
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