Better GP care needed to prevent asthma deaths, says charity
An asthma charity is calling for better care for sufferers after new figures showed 126 people died from the condition in Scotland last year. National Records of Scotland data shows the 2017 figure was down from 133 the previous year but is significantly higher than the 89 asthma deaths registered in 2012.
Asthma UK said better basic care was vital and could have saved hundreds of lives over the years.
The charity said it was unacceptable that Scotland had seen 647 asthma deaths since 2012.
Chief executive Kay Boycott said: In many cases their deaths could have been prevented, as research shows two thirds of people who die from an asthma attack could have survived if they had had better basic care.
Everyone with asthma should get basic care from their GP or asthma nurse which should include a yearly review to make sure they are on the right medicines and that they're taking them properly, and a written asthma action plan which explains how they should manage asthma on a day-to-day basis.
Worryingly, more than half of people with asthma in Scotland said they are not receiving this basic care.
We're urging healthcare professionals to ensure they are giving patients this care and calling on patients to proactively manage their asthma and attend their appointments to prevent life-threatening asthma attacks.''