SLEEP DISORDERS AND AVOIDABLE ACCIDENTS

Early day motion 410, tabled 17 December 2002 by Alice Mahon (Labour). Signed by 126 members.

That this House recognises that a significant proportion of all road accidents resulting in death or serious injury is caused by sleepiness; notes the human misery caused by fatal road accidents, which cost around one million pounds each; further notes that at least 1 per cent. of the United Kingdom's adult population has a medical cause for sleepiness; acknowledges the Royal College of Physicians' observation that untreated sleep apnoea sufferers may have driving impairments comparable with other drivers well over the legal alcohol limit; acknowledges that sleep apnoea is readily treatable with a machine costing ú300 which lasts for ten years; notes the research undertaken by the Sleep Centre at Edinburgh university; that shows the cost of treating 500 sleep apnoea patients with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure treatment for five years would be a total of ú400,000 in comparison to the estimated cost of accidents caused by untreated patients with sleep apnoea over the same five year period being ú5,300,000; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to give serious consideration to increasing the provision of treatment for sleep disorders.

Signatures by party: Labour 96, Liberal Democrat 12, Labour/Co-operative 11, Conservative 7.