Dystrophy patients face 'avoidable' hospital admissions

The NHS is wasting up to £31m a year - and putting lives in danger - because it does not give the right care to people with muscle-wasting conditions, according to campaigners. A report covering eight NHS trusts found 41% of emergency admissions for such patients could have been avoided. The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign report says patients miss out on access to specialists and equipment. Ministers said care for patients would improve with planned NHS modernisation. Muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular conditions cause muscles in the limbs, and sometimes those in the heart and respiratory system, to waste and weaken over time, leading to disability and in some cases significantly reducing life expectancy.