Creating breathing space: the scandal of missing respiratory diagnostics

Some health scandals remain imprinted on our memories, by bold headlines, emotional testimonies, and sobering inquiry reports or prosecutions, such as the case of Lucy Letby (doi:10.1136/bmj.p2197).1 Others happen quietly and are harder to report. One such “silent scandal” is the missing respiratory diagnostic services in England’s most deprived areas (doi:10.1136/bmj.p2140).2Lung conditions are a leading cause of death in the UK and cost the nation nearly £5bn each year. England knows it has a problem; witness a government strategy highlighting the need for early diagnosis and a major initiative to narrow inequalities in healthcare, including for chronic respiratory disease. In reality, there are no central data on the availability of diagnostic lung tests, such as spirometry. In seeking data The BMJ found that in many parts of the country access to spirometry is sparse or non-existent. Areas of highest need seem to be worst served, such as Cornwall, a deprived…
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