EMERGENCY hospital admissions for respiratory disease are on the increase in Barnsley, according to NHS figures.
Respiratory diseases include asthma, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer.
Collectively they are the third biggest cause of death in England.
They are often linked to smoking, air pollution and exposure to hazardous building materials such as asbestos.
NHS England figures show there were 1,868 admissions per 100,000 people in 2023/24, which is above the 1,428 per 100,000 rate across England.
It is up 14 per cent from 2022/23 and the highest figure since records began in 2013/14.
A government spokesperson said: “We are investing £1.5bn on new surgical hubs and AI scanners to improve diagnostic services, including for lung diseases to prevent emergency admissions.”
