Too many patients in Staffordshire are waiting too long to be treated for breathing conditions, an MP has said.
Newcastle-under-Lyme MP Adam Jogee (pictured) called for action to bring down NHS waiting times during a Westminster Hall debate on respiratory health.
He pointed out that in August, nearly 5,000 respiratory patients in Staffordshire were waiting longer than the 18-week target to be seen – more than half the total on the waiting list.
Mr Jogee called for millions of pounds to be spent on expanding testing, saying that undiagnosed or poorly managed lung conditions made people more susceptible to factors such as bad weather or poor housing, which ultimately put more pressure on the NHS, (writes local democracy reporter Phil Corrigan).
He said that last year, 3,765 people in Staffordshire were admitted to hospital in an emergency due to a lung condition.
Mr Jogee added: “Even when restrictive respiratory conditions are suspected or diagnosed, people are waiting far too long for care.
“The latest NHS data shows that in August almost 5,000 people in Staffordshire — 4,963, to be exact — were waiting beyond the national target of 18 weeks to be seen by a respiratory doctor. That is a little more than 50% of all patients referred for treatment. Although that is higher than the national average, it is sadly not an uncommon figure. It needs to change.”
Mr Jogee also raised concerns over the health impacts of hydrogen sulphide emissions from Walleys Quarry in Newcastle. He said the landfill site had had an “undeniable” impact on the health of his constituents.
Mr Jogee said: “Air quality and respiratory health are some of the most important issues experienced by my constituents. Colleagues will have heard me talk about the disgraceful Walleys Quarry landfill site in my constituency. For far too long, the operators have got away with doing whatever they want and leaving our town smothered by the most horrendous levels of hydrogen sulphide emitting from the site.
“The levels of hydrogen sulphide have had an undeniable impact on the respiratory health of my constituents. For us in Newcastle-under-Lyme, the fight for clean air is personal and it is constant. As I have the opportunity of the floor, I make it clear again and reiterate to the Environment Agency, if it is listening: we need it to issue a closure notice with immediate effect to Walleys Quarry Ltd. We need to cap the site and restore it safely and swiftly.”
Health minister Karin Smyth, responding to the debate, listed various Government measures aimed at improving respiratory health, including the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which aims to create a “smoke-free generation” by gradually ending the sale of tobacco products.
Ms Smyth said: “The NHS long-term plan under the last Government set a series of objectives for improving outcomes for people with respiratory disease through early diagnosis and increased access to treatments. As we have heard, and as I have said, it is quite shocking that that basic objective is not being achieved everywhere.
“Access to checks and basic preventive care needs to be much better spread across the country. NHS England has 13 respiratory clinical networks across the country, which are vital in providing clinical leadership across primary and secondary care for respiratory services and supporting services in primary care, where of course most patient contact is.”
A spokesperson for Walleys Quarry said: “The landfill site holds an environmental permit and is stringently regulated by the Environment Agency to ensure the onsite activities do not cause harm to human health or the environment as we play a vital role in offering residual waste disposal supporting wider recycling services. We recognise the impact that odours can have for local residents, and the team is focused on managing the site to minimise impacts to the community around the site and we will continue to do so.”
