PRESS RELEASE
8 May 2007

Malcolm Moss MP pledges support for Asthma UK’s campaign to reduce hospital admissions in North East Cambridgeshire

Malcolm Moss MP attended the launch of a shocking report by Asthma UK on emergency care for people with asthma at a parliamentary reception on World Asthma Day (1 May).

The Asthma Divide: inequalities in emergency care for asthma 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.

A person is admitted to hospital every 8 minutes 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.

Malcolm Moss has pledged to support Asthma UK’s work to improve care for people with asthma and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions for Asthma UK by:

• Ensuring more community-based asthma specialists are trained and accessible in North East Cambridgeshire

• Fulfilling the Government’s commitment that all people with asthma should be offered a care plan by 2010 -  currently only 16% of people with asthma have one

• Implementing best practice in asthma management – including annual asthma reviews – to help people to manage their condition.

Malcolm Moss MP says:

“On average about seventy three people are admitted to hospital in Fenland and East Cambridgeshire each year. This number is getting higher and it is imperative a better level of service for all people with asthma is available. Asthma UK is supporting healthcare professionals in North East Cambridgeshire 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 Malcolm Moss 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.’