Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Wellbeing

Hospitals may not be able to cope with predicted rise in lung disease

by Personnel Today 19 Jan 2006
by Personnel Today 19 Jan 2006

The NHS could soon be overwhelmed by growing numbers of patients suffering from lung disease, a study has warned.

The British Thoracic Society said that in the next decade, up to one million people currently undiagnosed with chronic lung diseases such as bronchitis will be likely to need treatment. And if a flu pandemic occurred, services could be stretched to breaking point, it added.

Professor Andrew Peacock, chairman of the society’s communications committee, said the UK and Ireland were already the “wheezy capitals” of western Europe. They have the highest death rates for respiratory diseases in the region, he said, and this situation is set to get worse.

As well as undiagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including emphysema, cases of occupational lung disease and cystic fibrosis were set to rise, said Peacock.

A separate study also predicted the UK’s ageing population would impose considerable extra work and financial pressures on the NHS.
The number of people over the age of 65 is set to rise by 53% between 2001 and 2031.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The study in the British Medical Journal said this is likely to lead to a rise in the number of people with chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases.

It also predicted that by 2031, the number of cases of coronary heart disease would increase by 44%, heart failure by 54% and atrial fibrillation by 46% (BMJ Volume 331, p1,362).

Personnel Today

Personnel Today articles are written by an expert team of award-winning journalists who have been covering HR and L&D for many years. Some of our content is attributed to "Personnel Today" for a number of reasons, including: when numerous authors are associated with writing or editing a piece; or when the author is unknown (particularly for older articles).

previous post
Tube drivers in another strike ballot
next post
Civil service success story as sick leave falls in 2004

You may also like

Welfare cuts would ‘undermine workforce inclusion and business...

27 Jun 2025

One in four young workers rate mental health...

17 Jun 2025

CIPD Festival of Work: ‘Wellbeing is not an...

11 Jun 2025

Employers must offer more flexibility to working carers,...

9 Jun 2025

CIPD: A quarter feel work has negative impact...

9 Jun 2025

Why cash lump sums may not be the...

5 Jun 2025

Sickness absence falls to almost pre-pandemic rate

4 Jun 2025

One-third have witnessed substance abuse at work

3 Jun 2025

Preparing for a new era of workforce planning...

3 Jun 2025

Three ways technology can boost wellbeing outcomes

27 May 2025

  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+