Britton: More research needed

The British Lung Foundation has warned that the government is neglecting the eight million people in the UK suffering with lung diseases with its focus on improving heart and cancer care.

In an exclusive interview with ePolitix.com Dr Mark Britton, chairman of the BLF, said that "Treatment and prevention of lung disease is beginning to show signs that it is being neglected."

Britton said only about two per cent of funding for health research is allocated to lung disease while heart disease gets about 20 per cent. "Lung disease is the second biggest killer in the UK. Eight million people have a lung condition. These figures do not justify the disparity in funding," he said.

He said that the government should give a higher priority to the treatment of lung diseases in the NHS.

"We're extremely disappointed that lung disease has not figured more comparably in their programme. The government put a priority on coronary and cancer care, but lung disease is not sufficiently covered," he said.

Britton warned the government that its focus on other areas could lead to treatment of lung disease being set back 10 years. He said that "because obviously lots of people are paying attention to the government's priorities, and there is only a certain pot of money actually available, so all the energies and efforts and thoughts are being directed into heart and cancer care".

The government was also told that "there appears to be a gross shortage of actual lung specialists", reflecting general staff shortages in the NHS.

There are only just over 400 lung specialists in the UK, he said. "We probably need about double the number of lung consultants over the next ten years."

Looking at other staffing issues, Britton said: "We are just developing respiratory nurses, and they are of immense value. But again, funding for these posts is very hard to come by. The cardiologists and the cancer teams have had priority over funding."

"If you're looking for a career in the NHS the chances are that you will choose a specialism which is named as a government priority and therefore likely to get funding - respiratory care is actually even more likely to be a Cinderella. Because it is not considered a priority area," he said.

On smoking, Britton commended the government's attempts to encourage smokers to quit, saying it was "certainly a step in the right direction". He called for more to be done to warn children and teenagers of the dangers of smoking.

"Classes on the health consequences of smoking could become a part of the curriculum in schools. We have sex education so why not warn about the effects of smoking?" he said.

Britton attacked the government's failure so far to introduce a ban on tobacco advertising, saying it shows a "lack of commitment to really tackle the problem". He also called for the government to ban smoking in public areas to prevent passive smoking.

"I think everyone, as the campaign develops momentum, will see the health benefits of smoke-free public areas," he told ePolitix.com.