HC Deb 30 March 1994 vol 240 cc883-5W
Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children aged five to 11 years have died following acute asthma attacks in each health region in England since 1990.

Mr. Sackville

The information is shown in the table.

Number of deaths from asthma (ICD1 493) in each health region of England for the grouped ages of 5 to 11, 1990–92
Regional health authority 1990 1991 1992
Northern 1 1
Yorkshire 1 1
Trent
East Anglian 1
North West Thames 3
North East Thames 1 1
South East Thames 1
South West Thames 1
Wessex 1 1
Oxford 2
South Western 1
West Midlands 2
Mersey 3 1
North Western 3 1
1 International Classification of Disease, 9th Revision.

Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many asthma-related deaths of children aged

Hospital episodes with a main diagnosis of asthma (1CD9 493) In-patients by region of treatment
Discharges and deaths Finished consultant episodes
1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 11989–90 11990–91
Northern 2,190 2,550 2,660 3,180 3,090 4,000 3,950 7,686 5,699
Yorkshire 3,230 3,630 3,960 4,220 4,230 4,650 5,610 7,189 7,928
Trent 3,710 3,710 4,970 5,150 5,790 6,300 7,300 8,722 8,490
East Anglian 1,240 1,520 2,060 1,770 1,950 2,480 2,700 3,198 2,914
North West Thames 2,740 3,320 3,880 4,480 4,840 5,560 6,460 8,922 7,378
North East Thames 3,650 4,140 4,950 5,550 5,650 6,920 7,090 9,538 8,341
South East Thames 2,690 3,490 4,040 4,150 5,080 5,690 5,910 7,817 7,053
South West Thames 2,090 2,400 3,140 3,390 3,560 4,190 3,890 5,548 5,511
Wessex 1,740 1,350 3,020 2,500 3,600 3,050 3,180 4,143 4,317
Oxford 1,780 2,280 2,390 3,020 3,240 3,440 3,660 5,161 3,691
South Western 1,960 2,310 2,570 3,000 2,950 3,460 3,820 5,683 5,455
West Midlands 3,510 4,090 5,080 6,050 6,900 7,140 8,320 10,130 10,034
Mersey 2,010 2,610 2,670 3,430 3,360 3,730 3,950 4,968 5,047
North Western 5,090 4,900 5,880 6,700 7,370 8,300 8,900 10,232 10,550
SHA's 1,020 1,310 1,510 1,710 1,500 1,450 1,390 1,251 869

five to 11 years there have been on school premises in the current academic year in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Sackville

Figures for the current academic year are not available. There were four deaths recorded for this age group in 1992 in England and Wales but none occurred on school premises. Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her policy on the immediate availability of ventilators for children suffering from asthma aged(a) under 5, (b) 5 to 11 and (c) 11 to 18 years.

Mr. Sackville

I understand that the hon. Member is referring to the immediate availability of portable inhalers which are prescribed for asthma sufferers to help control their condition. Our advice is that children should have immediate access to the medication they require, and that in consultation with parents and with appropriate medical advice, children should be encouraged to manage their own medical condition as early as is consistent with their development.

Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of asthma were reported in each health region for each year since 1979.

Mr. Sackville

The information available, which derives from hospital in-patient data and which does not cover all cases of asthma, is shown in the table. The 1979 to 1985 data are based on a survey of discharges and deaths in hospital, and the figures for 1989–90 and 1990–91 are based on finished consultant episodes. The first year of published data from the hospital episode statistics is 1989–90. The reason for the increase over the period 1979 to 1990–91 is not known, but some proportion of the increase can be attributed to a change in diagnostic practice.

Figures were not collected in 1986. As 1987–88 was the first year of changing to the, then, new Körner system there was considerable under reporting and the resultant data are incomplete in certain important areas.

Discharges and deaths Finished consultant episodes
1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 11989–90 11990–91
England 38,650 43,610 52,780 58,310 63,100 70,360 76,130 100,188 93,277

Sources: Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE) 1979 to 1985.

Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) 1989–90 onwards.

1provisional figures.