22.11.2007

Stoate, Howard

That this House supports World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Day on 14th November 2007, which aims to raise awareness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; regrets that COPD is the UK's fifth biggest killer, causing the deaths of more people than breast and prostate cancer combined in England and Wales; further regrets that an estimated 2.8 million people in this country have COPD, but don't know it; welcomes the British Lung Foundation report Invisible Lives which identifies the areas of the country where healthcare services face the biggest challenge from COPD, highlighting Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Liverpool, Hull and Sunderland as the top five COPD hotspots; welcomes the development of the National Service Framework for COPD; and supports calls from the British Lung Foundation for the NHS to carry out targeted health campaigns in these hotspot areas and to implement best practice guidelines for COPD services as soon as possible in order that people living with COPD can access the best quality treatment and care at the earliest opportuinty.