Alarm over postcode lottery of GP surgery lung tests due ‘scandalous’ shortage which leaves thousands undiagnosed, charity warns

An ‘outrageous’ shortage of lung disease tests has left thousands undetected and missing out on crucial treatments, a leading charity says.

In a report due to be published next month, Asthma + Lung UK will warn of a postcode lottery for access to a test for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – a group of serious lung conditions that affect around 1.2 million people in Britain.

The test, called spirometry, involves inhaling into a machine that measures how much you exhale in one breath. This shows how healthy the lungs are and, in some cases, whether medication will improve symptoms.

The GP needs the results of this test to refer patients for specialist treatment.

But too few GP practices are doing the test, Dr Andy Whittamore, clinical head of Asthma + Lung UK, told doctors magazine Pulse.

He said, “During the pandemic, spirometry stopped and we had a big shift in the pulmonary nurse workforce that dropped out of primary care.”

Now, he added, health authorities are short of money to fund the tests and staff. “I can’t see them putting a lot of money into this,” he said. ‘There are patients who do not get tested.

“Maybe they’re getting the wrong treatment or no treatment at all because they don’t have the correct diagnosis.” Last year, the charity found that nearly one in four COPD victims wait at least five years for a diagnosis.

London-based general practitioner Dr. Rammya Mathew told Pulse the issue is “nothing short of a scandal.”

She said, “We have been locked out of our ward for months. Without a diagnosis, specialized services cannot see our patients.’

COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, develops when the lungs become inflamed, damaged, and narrowed, making breathing difficult.

It is most common in people who have smoked, but non-smokers can get it too. Early diagnosis is vital, as many treatments are only effective in the early stages of the disease.

Early diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is vital as many treatments, including inhalers (pictured), are only effective in the early stages of the disease

These include inhalers and medications, as well as pulmonary rehabilitation, a program of exercise, and education. For some, the only effective treatment is major surgery or a lung transplant.

Experts say that in some areas nurses and care assistants are trained to perform spirometry, but this is not widespread in the UK.

In February, The Mail on Sunday warned that asthma patients were missing an essential test to see if medication is working.

A device called a feNO test can detect when the lungs are congested — a common asthma symptom. But NHS chiefs have not agreed to buy the test for GP surgery because of cost.