PATIENTS with breathing problems are missing out on treatment because of a postcode lottery, a local health campaigner claims.

Roger King, the chairman of the Dorchester branch of the Breathe Easy charity, says that sufferers of respiratory problems in the county town can not get the same quality of treatment as neighbouring Weymouth.

He said GPs need to put pressure on the NHS to bring the new pulmonary rehabilitation treatment to the area.

A pilot scheme in Weymouth and Portland has been offering a six-week course of help, advice and education from physiotherapists and respiratory nurses to people suffering from emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic asthma for the past six months.

Suffering Mr King, of Railway Triangle, said it has been such a success in improving the well-being and quality of life for patients, and cutting the need for hospital and GP visits, that more needs to be done to expand it across the county.

He said: "In a nutshell, people in Dorchester are suffering because we haven't got the services here - a postcode lottery is the only way I can describe it.

"If I moved to Weymouth I'd get it, but I don't want to - why can't we get it here? In the long term it would save the NHS money - more women died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease last year than breast cancer. I sit on the Primary Care Trust respiratory implementation group as a patient advisor, and I know treatment is available. I want us to get it sooner rather than later."

He added: "I get phone calls from people who have been diagnosed with emphysema and they're terrified. Someone's told them 'you have got it, here's some drugs, go home' - the scheme makes sure that they're on the right medication and taking it properly, and looks after them, it really is wonderful."

Weymouth and Portland piloted the scheme as a result of local GPs requesting the service in their practice-based commissioning plans and Dorset Primary Care Trust said it would be up to Dorchester GPs to do the same.

PCT spokesman Celia Canter said: "The pilot scheme is showing some value and other GPs, including those in Dorchester, have expressed an interest in doing something similar here.

"Roger King is on the respiratory group and well aware of all these plans. It's an ongoing process for the NHS, and the ethos is bringing service closer to those in the community, and GPs are going to be putting in commissioning plans for this year.

"I don't think it's going to be long, because the pilot scheme has shown some value, but I can't put a time scale on it."However, Dr Robert Koppenhol of the Cornwall Road practice said he was not aware of a direct initiative on pulmonary rehabilitation coming, or a demand for it.He added: "A single GP can't ask for it. It needs to be from a conglomerate of GPs at committee-based meetings."I don't have any information to say we give less of a service because we don't have the rehabilitation, or give a better service. I can only say that if someone comes in with a chronic obstructive pulmonary I will try to optimise their care."