Mark Hunter MP pledges support to Asthma UK's campaign to reduce local emergency hospital admissions for asthma

4.20.10pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 9th May 2008

Mark at the launch pledging his support to the campaign.

Mark Hunter, MP for Cheadle this week pledged his support for Asthma UK's 'Wish you were here?' campaign to reduce hospital admissions both locally and across the UK.

On World Asthma Day (6th May) Mr Hunter attended the launch of Asthma UK's newest report which highlights the staggering difference in the numbers of emergency hospital admissions for asthma across the whole of the UK. The research by Asthma UK showed that in the Stockport Primary Care Trust Area, admissions for childhood asthma were 24% higher than the national average

An average of 221 people per day are admitted to hospital because of their asthma, that equates to one person every 7 minutes. These admissions cost the NHS £61 million per year, yet 75% of them could have been avoided through better asthma management and routine care.

At the meeting Mr Hunter pledged to support Asthma UK in its work to improve asthma services and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions in the local area by:

? Ensuring more specialist asthma nurses are trained and accessible

? Fulfilling the Government's commitment that all people with asthma should be offered an individual care plan by 2010

? Bringing in National Service Standards for asthma, to ensure that people with asthma receive consistently high quality asthma services wherever they live.

Speaking after the launch Mark Hunter, said: 'I was shocked by the number of emergency hospital admissions that take place each day for asthma, and especially the fact that Stockport number of admissions is much higher than the national average. This report should work as a wake-up call to the Government and PCTs about the costs and consequences of inadequate asthma services.

"If asthma is not controlled effectively, the effects can be devastating and in some cases fatal, which is why preventative action is needed by PCTs and reducing the hospital admissions of people with asthma is so important."