§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital visits per year are a result of asthma; and what action Her Majesty's Government are taking to reduce this number.
§ Mr. DorrellDuring 1989–90, the latest year for which information is available centrally, the estimated number of in-patient cases with a principal diagnosis of asthma treated in NHS hospitals in England was 95,000. Better control of asthma may result in fewer hospital admissions. Peak flow meters, which help in improving control by monitoring the changes in the asthmatic patient's airways and giving advance warning of an impending attack, have been available on GP prescription since 1 October 1990. The introduction of self-management protocols agreed between patient and doctor should also help to reduce the number of hospital admissions.