Our services include respiratory education, diagnostic Lung Function Testing, health promotions, plus health professional respiratory training. We strive to deliver the right services, advice and education through access to best practice, multi-disciplinary experts to help Western Australians facing respiratory health challenges live a better life.
Our Purpose
Respiratory Care WA provides free and personalised, community-based respiratory services for people impacted by asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Why Does Respiratory Care WA Exist?
Asthma and COPD are respiratory chronic conditions which impact all ages and demographics. There is no cure but with a correct diagnosis, care plan and ongoing management, Western Australians can live their best life.
The estimated time for diagnosis and specialist review across Western Australia is three years with approximately $3,500 out of pocket expenses to families and individuals. We can provide fully bulk billed services including comprehensive diagnosis and specialist review in less than six months.
Hear more about asthma and COPD in Australia below:
Asthma
- 1 in 9 Western Australians have asthma (11%)
- Asthma will impact 1 in 2.
- 424 Australians die from asthma each year.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are twice as likely to have asthma and twice as likely to die from the condition.
- Asthma is the one of the two leading causes of hospitalisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
- 39,000 Australians are hospitalised and more than 6,500 Western Australians are hospitalised each year for asthma (on average)
- Over 40% of Asthma hospitalisations were children aged 0-14yrs
- 38% of all hospitalisations are regional
- 89% of hospitalisations are avoidable with correct management
- 30% of parents will remove their children from all physical activity due to asthma
- People with asthma are 2x as likely to be absent from school or and work
- 40 – 70% of all people with asthma are under or over diagnosed
- Asthma’s cost to the economy is $30 billion each year
COPD
- 1 in 4 over the age of 60 have COPD
- Incurable and degenerative, there will be 26,000 deaths this year
- 50% of people will not know they have COPD
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are 5.8x more likely to have COPD
- Number 1 cause of potentially preventable hospitalisations
- Nearly 5,000 Western Australians are also hospitalised for COPD each year, 17% are Indigenous Australians and 41% from the regions
- In 2022, COPD accounted for over half (51%) of the disease burden due to respiratory conditions and 3.7% of the total burden of disease
- Costs the Australian health system an estimated $994.8 million in 2019-20, representing 21% of disease expenditure on respiratory conditions
Reflect RAP
Respiratory Care WA’s vision is for every Western Australian facing a respiratory condition to have access to personalised care.
There are more than 1 in 9 Australians impacted by asthma and 1 in 4 over the age of 65 facing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), but we know these rates are much higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. The community are twice as likely to have asthma and twice as likely to die from asthma, whilst the prevalence of COPD is 5.6 times.
Respiratory Care WA is committed to addressing this inequity.
