A ‘BREATHING Better’ campaign aims to cut the number of people needing hospital treatment for respiratory problems this winter.

The initiative is being headed by NHS Bradford District and Craven clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).

Health professionals are offering advice on topics including stopping smoking, the importance of keeping moving and ensuring people in at-risk groups get their free flu jabs this autumn.

Visits are being made to mosques, community events and supermarkets.

Respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are responsible for large numbers of unplanned hospital admissions every year.

And NHS chiefs say some are avoidable.

Dr Katherine Hickman, clinical respiratory lead for Bradford and district CCGs, said: “One of the most effective things we can do to reduce the number of preventable hospital admissions over the winter is help more people to quit smoking.

“Another key aim is to help diagnose people who do not realise they are suffering from asthma or COPD, as we know there are many people living with these conditions in the Bradford district and Craven.

“There are 1,000 deaths from asthma each year in the UK – most of which are preventable – and one person dies from COPD every 20 minutes in England.

“No one chooses to be in hospital over the winter, but having an existing respiratory health condition and not looking after yourself properly could mean you are at greater risk of needing to go to hospital.”

She added that COPD was the second most common cause of emergency admissions to hospital – and one of the most costly treated in the NHS.

For every 100 people on the COPD register, there are an estimated 15 emergency admissions annually – each costing an average of £2,000.

Regional NHS England chiefs are also urging people in at-risk groups to get their free flu jab.

Figures show that last winter, more than 300 patients were admitted to intensive care units across Yorkshire and Humberside due to flu.

Dr Paul Twomey, for NHS England in the region, said: “Last winter we saw a particularly harmful flu season and it placed a very serious burden on NHS resources.

“We know this year that staff will continue to do a fantastic job to minimise the spread of flu and help those who are most vulnerable to the virus. Health and social care workers are also urged to take-up the vaccine to protect themselves, their families and the patients they care for.”