In April 2009 a programme of health checks for over-40s was introduced in England. As part of this programme GPs will screen for heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and the risk of strokes. These health checks have been dubbed a ‘Health MOT’ by the media.
The BLF is very disappointed that lung disease has been spectacularly overlooked in the development of this scheme.
There are approximately 3.7 million people in the UK with COPD4, yet only 900,0005 people are currently diagnosed and receiving treatment and care. This leaves an estimated 2.8 million people are who are unaware they have a disease which, if left untreated, could severely restrict their lives and eventually kill them.
Spirometry testing is relatively simple when administered by a trained healthcare professionals and it is not expensive to carry out. These tests can be conducted in primary care and if conducted more widely they could bring huge improvements to the rate of early detection.
Early diagnosis is particularly important as the development of COPD can often be slowed down if patients are aware of their condition and take the right steps to maintain their lung health.
Moreover, as it is estimated to cost £137 per patient per year to treat a mild case of COPD as opposed to £1,307 for severe cases, screening and early diagnosis would also result in large financial savings for the NHS6 .
The inclusion of lung health tests within a national screening programme would be a welcome step towards diagnosing lung conditions earlier.
The British Lung Foundation therefore urges the next Government to reconsider the case for including lung testing in the ‘Health MOT’.
The British Lung Foundation calls on the next government to include a simple lung test within the NHS Healthcheck Programme
