Leading lung health charity is urging politicians to make respiratory health a priority ahead of the May elections.
Annual polling from Asthma + Lung UK Cymru of 1000 people in Wales, undertaken by Opinion Matters, shows that seven in ten respondents (69.8%) were concerned about their family’s respiratory health.
In Wales, 1 in 5 people will be affected by a lung condition in their lifetime. Roughly 590,000 people live with asthma, and 185,000 people are estimated to have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with many thousands living undiagnosed.
Lung conditions are the third biggest killer in Wales, which has the worst respiratory death rate in Europe and costs the Welsh economy £772 million every year. With Wales due to go to the polls in two months, Asthma + Lung UK Cymru has launched its charity manifesto ‘Our Battle for Breathe – Policy Priorities for the next Welsh Government’, calling on all parties to make lung health a priority.
Asthma + Lung UK Cymru is calling on the Welsh Government to focus on improving diagnosis, treatment and support, and preventing lung conditions by tackling air pollution, smoking rates and damp housing. There are nineteen asks for political parties including the following three:
- Roll out lung screening, including appropriate follow-up of unexpected findings, focussing on smokers, which has been proven to find treatable early-stage lung cancer, before symptoms present
- Ensure that 100% of adults and children with lung conditions get the basic care they need, in order to manage their condition, improve their well-being and reduce hospitalisation
- Tackle domestic burning by legislating against domestic wood burning in urban areas, support rural households in transitioning from wood as a primary heating source and provide financial assistance to those in fuel poverty.
Bec Miller, Policy and Public Affairs Officer at Asthma + Lung UK Cymru, said:
“For far too long lung conditions have been overlooked and underfunded, leaving people sidelined at home, without diagnosis or effective treatment. It is not surprising that so many people in Wales are worried about their family’s lung health.
“When breathing is hard, nothing is easy. That is why Asthma + Lung UK Cymru is setting out its manifesto for lung health to help improve respiratory care and outcomes across the nation.
“To meet this challenge, we are urging the next Welsh Government to take on board our policies covering diagnosis, treatment, support and prevention. We are looking forward to working with them to help make lung health a priority.”
Asthma + Lung UK Cymru’s manifesto, ‘Our Battle for Breath’ in English can be found here and the Welsh language version, here.
