Preseli Pembrokeshire Assembly Member Paul Davies is highlighting the lack of any lung rehabilitation services in the County.

Although one in five people in Pembrokeshire live with a lung condition, there are no pulmonary rehabilitation services in the whole of the County. There are no other services nearby so sufferers have to go without. Mr Davies, who has now written to the Local Health Board to ask what it is doing to introduce such a service, said:

"I was surprised to hear that we have no pulmonary rehabilitation services in the county and that there's nowhere nearby for people to travel to for the service either.

"There is a proven need for such resources and in the long term they can help save money and free up hospital beds."

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a course delivered with input from doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians and occupational therapists that helps people manage their lung condition with confidence.

Research has proven that successful pulmonary rehabilitation can reduce both the number of emergency hospital admissions and he overall number of days spent in hospital for people with respiratory problems.

The benefits of providing an adequate service are significant both for those with lung disease and the NHS in Wales.

The British Lung Foundation Wales has launched a new campaign to make lung disease a national priority and is calling for an urgent prioritisation of pulmonary rehabilitation services by the new LHBs. Head of the British Lung Foundation, Chris Mulholland, said:

"Despite all the challenges of providing a health service fit for the 21st Century this simply isn't good enough. We welcome everyone's support in driving forward improvements."

*For more information about the campaign, or about how the British Lung Foundation Wales can help you, please contact 01792 455764 or email wales@blf‐uk.org