ASTHMA sufferers are dying needlessly as a result of poor care, doctors’ research revealed yesterday.

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) examined 195 asthma deaths, including 28 children, and identified at least one “major potential avoidable factor” in two-thirds of cases.

Patients are not getting enough information, education and advice on managing their asthma and medics are failing to spot signs that patients are not managing their condition well, the report says.

The report found deficiencies in both the routine care of asthma patients and the treatment of attacks.

“In many instances neither doctors nor patients recognised the signs of deteriorating asthma. They also did not react quickly enough when these were seen,” the report concluded.

Three people die from asthma every day in Britain and every 10 seconds someone suffers from a potentially life-threatening attack.

GP Dr Mark Levy, RCP’s clinical lead for the report, said: “It is very sad that people are not aware that asthma can kill.”