Dr Naysmith, MP for Bristol North West, has pledged his support for Asthma UK’s campaign to reduce hospital admissions in Bristol and across the UK.
Doug attended the launch of Asthma UK’s report ‘The Asthma Divide: inequalities in emergency care for asthma’ at a parliamentary reception on World Asthma Day (1 May). The report revealed an unacceptable six-fold divide between those PCTs with the lowest and highest number of emergency hospital admissions for asthma and highlighted the costs and consequences of unnecessary asthma attacks.
Every 8 minutes a person is admitted to hospital in England because of their asthma. That’s on average 185 people per day and one in six people require further emergency care again within two weeks, yet 75% of admissions for asthma are avoidable and could save the NHS in England an estimated £43.7 million a year.
Doug Naysmith said: ‘I fully support Asthma UK’s campaign and I believe it is vital that we work towards achieving the Government’s target that all people with asthma should be offered a care plan by 2010. By ensuring a better level of service for people with asthma, we will not only be helping them but also helping to reduce hospital admissions and free up NHS resources for other patients.”
Asthma UK is supporting healthcare professionals in Bristol to ensure a better level of service for all people with asthma by launching Emergency Asthma Care materials. They have been designed to support healthcare professionals who work in settings where they are likely to encounter people having an asthma attack and are available on the Asthma UK website asthma.org.uk or by calling the Asthma UK Supporter and Information Team on 020 7786 5000.
Donna Covey, Chief Executive of Asthma UK, says: ‘I am delighted that Dr Doug Naysmith has signed up to support our campaign to reduce hospital admissions. It is vital that we address the shocking divide between those regions with the lowest and highest number of emergency hospital admissions for asthma and end this unfair postcode lottery in asthma care.’
