People from the poorest backgrounds in England with serious lung conditions are more likely to be admitted to hospital for emergency care than their more affluent counterparts, according to research.
Analysis of NHS admissions data for November by Asthma + Lung UK found people from the most deprived backgrounds in England were 56% more likely to be admitted for emergency care, while 62% were more likely to be readmitted within 39 days of an emergency admission, which is linked with an increased chance of dying.
The research also found that people in deprived areas were almost twice as likely to be admitted to hospital for a respiratory condition.
One expert said the findings should act as a wake-up call to end the “postcode lottery”.
The highest rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) admissions per population are in deprived areas including Blackpool, Manchester, Hastings and Burnley.
COPD is a group of diseases that causes breathing difficulties and includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. More than 20,000 people a year in England die from COPD.
Dr Hugo Farne, a respiratory consultant at Imperial College London, said the figures “lay bare a stark and avoidable injustice in respiratory health”.
“The fact that nearly half a million respiratory admissions could be avoided each year if deprivation gaps were closed should be a wake-up call,” Farne said.
“We know what works: timely diagnosis, smoking cessation support, pulmonary rehabilitation, clean air and properly resourced community respiratory services. Yet these are least accessible in the places carrying the greatest burden.
“Tackling COPD outcomes means tackling inequality head-on – through sustained investment in deprived areas, joined-up health and social care and treating respiratory health as a national priority, not a postcode lottery.”
The NHS is anticipating its worst-ever winter crisis as flu cases continue to rise. NHS England data released on Thursday found an average of 3,140 people were in hospital with flu each day by the end of last week, an increase of 18% compared with the previous week. At the same time last year, an average of 2,629 patients were in hospital, while in 2023 the number was 648.
Sarah Sleet, the chief executive of Asthma + Lung UK, said: “Many patients now in hospital with flu complications will have underlying lung conditions like COPD and shockingly, those from the lowest income groups will be more likely to lose their lives this winter.
“Poor housing, smoking, and exposure to air pollution put someone at higher risk of developing COPD but deprivation determines the progression of the disease too.
“At the heart of the problem is delayed diagnosis and poor care. Vital diagnostic tests are not available in parts of the country, with poorer, more populated areas – where the pressure on health services is the greatest – tending to struggle the most to provide lung testing and basic levels of care.
“Lung health is in a critical state in this country, and we know what changes need to be made, they just need implementing – which is why we need a dedicated national strategy to improve respiratory outcomes.”
Previous analysis of NHS figures has found that serious breathing problems including COPD have led to more emergency admissions in hospitals than any other medical condition.
NHS England has been approached for comment.
