UK lung death rate twice European average

The UK is still wheezing at the bottom of the European league table for lung health, a report revealed today, as experts warned that respiratory disease is being "ignored".

More people die from respiratory diseases, such as asthma and pneumonia, in the UK than in any other EU country apart from Ireland, according the the European Respiratory Society (ERS).

It called for greater investment in equipment and specialists and national education programmes on key lung diseases to tackle the problem in the UK.

The society's European Lung White Book, which was launched today, shows that the death rate from respiratory diseases in the UK is 105 per 100,000 people - twice the EU average.

The only countries where there was a higher death rate were the former Soviet Union countries Kyrgzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and Ireland.

The report found that illnesses such as lung cancer, asthma, pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were now killing more people in the UK than heart disease.

People in the UK also suffer more from asthma than anywhere else in Europe - 5.1 million or around 13% of the adult population. The UK has the highest mortality rate from pneumonia compared with other European countries. It also has the second highest death rate from lung cancer - 66 per 100,000 people compared to a European average of 45.9.

The ERS report also revealed the economic cost of respiratory diseases, wich across Europe amounts to 102bn euros (?68bn) a year. In the UK the report found that respiratory disease cost the NHS more than any other disease area, and 28m working days were lost due to these illnesses in 2000 alone.

ERS president Professor Walter McNicholas said: "Respiratory diseases are the leading cause of death in Europe, and, indeed, worldwide, yet despite these statistics, these illnesses have a lower profile than many other disease areas such as heart disease.

"Although the highly prioritised diseases in government target areas such as heart disease and cancer are showing real progress, others such as respiratory disease are continuing to be ignored.

"Governments around the world must widen their vision to include lung disorders, which are responsible for more than nine million deaths worldwide each year."

Dr Edmund Neville, chairman of the British Thoracic Society, said the statistics were "shocking". He added: "Britain has been left wheezing at the bottom of the European lung health league for many years.

"Respiratory disease is not being given the national priority it warrants from the huge burden it imposes on both patients and the NHS."

Dr Neville called for a national service framework (NSF) for respiratory disease, similar to those that already exist for other conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. "We would welcome the opportunity to work with government to create an NSF for respiratory medicine to help ease the pressure on lung specialists and provide patients with the level of treatment they deserve," he added. A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "People with respiratory related diseases are benefiting from record levels of investment that are improving the quality of NHS treatment and care, and access to services but ultimately it is down to the local trust to determine how this money is spent according to local needs."

She added: "Later this year we will be publishing a national service framework for people with long-term conditions. This NSF will help improve the standard of services for people with neurological conditions across England.

"It will also consider some of the common issues that can promote independence and reduce disability for people with other long term conditions, including respiratory diseases."