Beyond Awareness: It’s Time to Treat Asthma as a System Issue

By Monica Fletcher OBE, Chief Executive, CARRii (Centre for Applied Respiratory Research, Innovation & Impact)

Earlier this month, we witnessed another World Asthma Day come and go, but for the 5.6 million people in the UK living with asthma, it’s hard not to wonder: are these awareness days making any difference?

The facts are hard to ignore. Every year, 1,200 people in the UK die from asthma; deaths that experts say are largely preventable. Asthma remains one of the leading causes of emergency hospital admissions for children and despite decades of research and policy pledges, the UK still holds the highest asthma mortality rate in Western Europe.

The problem isn’t a lack of knowledge or awareness; it reflects a persistent failure to translate knowledge into action. We need more than reminders telling us how badly asthma is managed at a national and a global level. We need systemic change, focused investment, and the political will to act on what we already know can save lives.

For too long, respiratory disease has been trapped behind more politically visible conditions like cancer and heart disease. Yet respiratory alone costs the NHS over £3 billion a year. In an era of constrained budgets and growing demand, this is not just a clinical issue – it’s a systems inefficiency.

At CARRii, we believe this is a solvable problem. But respiratory health requires reframing as a test case for integrated reform - spanning housing, air quality, primary care, and digital health. We don’t need more pilots or position papers. We need structures that turn discovery into delivery.

CARRii was launched to do just that: to move from evidence to impact. As a new, independent UK-wide centre, we unite researchers, frontline professionals, policymakers and patients to apply what already works – at scale. We’re platforming applied research, investing in implementation science, and embedding lived experience at every stage. We are aligning with our NHS partners to co-design practical tools that work in real-world pathways, not just controlled settings.

Yes, we’re optimistic about AI and predictive technologies – but only if deployed ethically and equitably.  We believe in prevention – but only if we build the capacity to act upstream.

With a government focused on tackling inequality, respiratory health offers a compelling and measurable way to demonstrate joined-up leadership. CARRii exists to support that ambition – not with more commemorative days, but with measurable outcomes.

It’s time to stop repeating ourselves. Let’s show what’s possible through respiratory research, innovation, policy and impact to build the equitable, integrated, impact-driven system we all want.