Asthma: Action needed on needless deaths, says charity

Urgent government action is needed to stop preventable asthma deaths, a leading charity has said.

More than 12,000 people in the UK have died from asthma attacks since 2014, according to Asthma and Lung UK.

It said the figures meant "shockingly little" had changed since a major report a decade ago which found two thirds of asthma deaths could have been avoided with better care.

People with asthma should get an annual condition review, a written action plan and inhaler technique checks.

But the charity said people with asthma were being "failed", with seven out of 10 not receiving basic care, partly because healthcare workers were over-stretched.

Asthma and Lung UK said 31% of asthmatics were "disengaged" with managing their condition, putting them at higher risk, according to its research.

Ministers in England and Wales said they were trying to improve services.

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Source: BBC News, 24 April 2024