Asthma

HC Deb 05 May 1998 vol 311 cc346-7W

Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reported cases of child asthma there have been by area health authority, in each of the last five years. [40402]

Ms Jowell

The information for in-patient treatment for children aged 16 years or under is contained in tables, copies of which have been placed in the Library. They are based on finished consultant episodes, which represent the number of episodes of care under individual consultants. The same child may be counted more than once if they have more than one episode of care.

There are no comprehensive data on the number of children with asthma. On the basis of all the information available, it has been estimated that the prevalence of asthma sufficiently severe to require regular medical supervision is from 4–6 per cent. in children.

This estimate is quoted in "Asthma: An Epidemiological Overview" (Central Health Monitoring Unit, 1995), which brought together a broad range of the best statistics on asthma. Copies are available in the Library.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the cost to the Health Service of treating asthma(a) nationally and (b) in London in (a) 1994–95, (b) 1995–96, (c) 1996–97 and (d) 1997–98. [40155]

Ms Jowell

The available information about the cost of prescriptions for asthma in the community is shown in the table. Information on the other costs to the National Health Service is not available centrally for individual conditions. However, a discussion document "Burdens of Disease" was issued in October 1996 which illustrated one approach to estimating the burdens of particular diseases on the NHS. This suggests that in 1992/3 the total cost of other, non-prescribing costs of the NHS services for treating asthma was of the order of £150 million.

Net ingredient cost of prescriptions dispensed in the community in England and London for asthma medication, 1994 to 1996
£ million
Year	England	London
1994	378.9	45.2
1995	410.9	49.0
1996	437.5	51.4

Notes:

1. 1. The data cover all prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists, appliance contractors and dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England. The information was obtained from the Prescription Cost Analysis system for drugs used in the treatment of asthma contained in British National Formulary sections 3.1 (bronchodilators), 3.2 (corticosteroids) and 3.3 (Cromoglycate and related therapy). Some of the drugs may be used for the treatment of other conditions.
2. 2. The net ingredient cost refers to the cost of the drug before discounts and does not include any dispensing costs or fees. It does not include any adjustment for income obtained where a prescription charge is paid at the time the prescription is dispensed or where the patient has purchased a pre-payment certificate.