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The number of people dying from respiratory diseases in Wales has fallen by 10% in a year, a new report shows.

It is estimated 13% of Welsh adults are being treated for a respiratory condition, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), while disorders affecting the lungs are thought to be the cause of one in seven (15%) deaths in Wales.

In April 2014, the Welsh Government published Together for Health – Respiratory Health Delivery Plan, which sets out a vision for respiratory health in Wales. The plan covers five areas of lung disease: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, interstitial lung disease (including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis), obstructive sleep apnoea and acute respiratory infections.

The first all-Wales annual report for respiratory services, Together for Health – Respiratory Annual Report 2015 which sets out how the NHS is improving care and services for these illnesses, shows there has been a 10% reduction in the overall rate of people dying from respiratory health conditions between 2013 and 2014, including a reduction of 8% in the overall death rate related to pneumonia between 2013 and 2014.

Other key achievements include;

• Emergency admissions related to respiratory conditions have fallen by 11.1% between 2013-14 and 2014-15
• Smoking prevalence has fallen over the last 10 years, from 28% in 2004-05 to 20% in 2014
• The amount of time a person spends in hospital with a respiratory condition has fallen gradually from 6.2 days in 2010-11 to 5.5 days in 2014-15. A similar reduction has been seen for emergency admissions from 6.5 days to 5.5 days
• The number of readmissions for respiratory conditions has fallen by 13% between 2010-11 and 2014-15
• Recruitment to clinical respiratory studies increased in 2014-15 by 166 compared to the previous year.

The annual report also identifies a number of areas for improvement including:

• Uptake of the flu vaccination among people under 65 who are classed as being at risk is around 50% each year, below the target of 75%
• The average length of stay for people with pneumonia or flu was 11.2 days in 2014-15, considerably longer than other respiratory conditions. However, this has fallen from 12.9 days in 2013-14
• 63% of patients are not assessed for pulmonary rehabilitation prior to discharge.

Speaking at the launch of the report at University Hospital Llandough, Deputy Minister for Health Vaughan Gething said:

“We want to ensure people of all ages value good lung health and are aware of the dangers of smoking. We want everyone to take personal responsibility for their lifestyle choices and reduce the risk of acquiring a respiratory condition.

“This report demonstrates how health boards are improving standards of patient care and that fewer people are dying from respiratory conditions.

“We will continue to ensure people have timely access to high-quality care, irrespective of where they live and how these services are delivered and that they can maximise the benefits of any treatment they may require.

“I am delighted to be able to announce the appointment of Dr Simon Barry to the newly created post of Respiratory Clinical Lead as agreed by the respiratory health implementation group. Dr Barry has a wealth of experience in this area and I look forward to seeing the impact of his appointment as he works with the service to drive improved performance.“

Dr Andrew Goodall, chief executive of NHS Wales, said:

“The publication of this first all-Wales annual report for respiratory health brings together for the first time simple and clear information about how services for people with respiratory conditions are performing.

“It is important we recognise the valuable work undertaken by the third sector in supporting and caring for people with respiratory conditions and their families, without which the Welsh NHS would struggle to deliver such excellent service.”

Fiona Jenkins Chair of the national respiratory health implementation group said:

"This report sets out the ambitions and achievements of Health Boards across Wales to improve care for patients with respiratory conditions.

“We have several key priorities for next year including training for primary care clinical staff to improve diagnosis  with clinical pathways ensuring that the optimum treatment is available wherever you live in Wales. We hope to raise awareness of lung disease and help people to recognise the things they can do to look after themselves.”

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