Cards urge action on lung disease

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Christmas postcards warning of the plight of thousands of people with chronic lung disease are to be delivered to the Scottish Executive.

The cards have been sent to Health Minister Andy Kerr as part of a British Lung Foundation campaign.

The charity wants the executive to set clinical standards to ensure patients receive the best quality treatment.

The rate of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is higher in Scotland than the rest of the UK.

COPD is the umbrella term for a number of lung conditions including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

Why should Scots with COPD not have access to the same standards of care as people in England? Andrew Powrie-SmithBritish Lung Foundation

More than 33,000 people have been diagnosed with the condition and it claims a life every two hours, killing more people every year than breast, bowel or prostate cancer

In England a national framework is being implemented to improve care and ensure patients have access to better services.

Campaigners want sufferers in Scotland to be granted the same rights.

They plan to gather outside the Scottish Parliament with the hard-hitting postcards.

NHS costs

Andrew Powrie-Smith, head of the British Lung Foundation Scotland, said: "COPD is one of Scotland's biggest health problems and clinical standards would help improve the lives of thousands of Scots with the disease.

"We have the highest COPD rates in the UK yet still we are not taking positive steps to tackle the condition.

"Why should Scots with COPD not have access to the same standards of care as people in England?"

It is estimated that COPD costs NHS Scotland £138m a year.