North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson is calling for better awareness of the respiratory condition obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), as well as better sleep services to help diagnose and treat those affected by the condition.
The call follows Justin Tomlinson’s attendance of a special parliamentary briefing, in which he was given privileged advanced access to new analysis conducted by the British Lung Foundation showing that high predicted prevalence of OSA coincided with low access to services in many parts of the country.
Although North Swindon was predicted by the analysis to have average rates of OSA compared to level elsewhere in the UK, Justin Tomlinson warned against complacency.
Commenting on the analysis, Justin Tomlinson MP said “Although predicted prevalence of OSA in North Swindon is average by national standards, this is not cause to be complacent. Up to 80% of people living with OSA have not yet been diagnosed, so we need to ensure that there is sufficient awareness of the symptoms throughout the area for people to recognise whether they need to seek help.
“We also need to make sure we have sufficient diagnostic and treatment services available locally so that no one in need of help is left wanting. OSA represents a major healthcare challenge. It is time we gave it the attention it needs”.
OSA is a respiratory condition that causes people to stop breathing repeatedly while asleep. It affects up to 4 per cent of middle-aged men and 2 per cent of middle-aged women, although up to 80 per cent of those who have OSA are still undiagnosed. Symptoms of OSA include excessive daytime sleepiness, poor memory, inability to concentrate and irritability. Untreated, OSA affects quality of life and ability to work, and is linked with high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes and depression. It also increases the risk of workplace accidents as well as serious and fatal road accidents.
The British Lung Foundation is campaigning for better awareness of OSA both among the general public as well as health care professionals. The charity is also calling for better access to sleep services and other support for those who have been diagnosed with the condition.
