Asthma UK has released a report revealing significant differences in the numbers of emergency hospital admissions for children with asthma across the whole of the UK.
Topping the list for the PCT with the highest emergency admissions is Liverpool PCT, whose figures are eight times higher than those of Richmond and Twickenham PCT, with the lowest emergency admissions in the country.
The figures suggest that services for children with asthma are not of a consistently high standard across the UK, but also demonstrate a link between areas of high deprivation and high emergency admissions.
Asthma UK believes the report highlights the lottery that children with asthma face across the UK when accessing local health services. It pointed out that 75% of admissions are avoidable through effective asthma management and routine care, which could save the NHS almost £46 million.
In light of these results, the charity is calling on the Government to ensure children have access to high-quality asthma services wherever they live, and for health services across the UK to sign up to the “Good Asthma Services Checklist”. This scheme outlines the standard of asthma services that people with the condition should be entitled to.
