More than 100 patients with severe asthma have been approved to receive biological injections at Walsall Manor Hospital.

When given to suitable asthma patients, these injections significantly improve asthma control, reduce hospital admissions, enable patients to reduce their reliance on steroids, and often allow them to stop long-term steroid use altogether, with a substantial improvement in quality of life.

Each patient undergoes a 12-month trial. If the treatment is successful, it continues; if not, patients are either switched to a different biological drug or returned to their previous medication.

Debbie Flenley, a retired minister from Aldridge, said her quality of life before the injections was “horrendous”.

The 67-year-old said: “I had a couple of incidents where I couldn’t breathe at all, which was so, so scary. I genuinely thought I was dying because I couldn’t get any air. It was terrifying.

“I would always make excuses not to go out. I retired at 60 because I couldn’t do my job anymore and thought my life was over.

“Since having the injections, my life is completely different. It’s amazing.

“I went to the top of Harlech Castle the other day and, when you think I couldn’t even manage the stairs before, it really shows the difference it has made.

“I’m really well now and no longer on steroids all the time, which has helped me lose weight. I’m just enjoying life.”

Mrs Flenley said she was extremely grateful for the support of the respiratory team.

She added: “I don’t have the words. They are an amazing team. Thank you for giving me my life back.”

Another patient to benefit is 64-year-old Karen Horney from Walsall.

The great-grandmother said she had been admitted to hospital around six times with severe asthma attacks before starting the injections.

She said: “I was often brought in under blue lights because it was that serious, and I was scared to go anywhere.

“Now I can spend time with my family and do everything I want to do, without worrying about becoming seriously ill.”

Patients are treated with one of five biological drugs approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Dr Max Matonhodze, Consultant Physician at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “We are delighted to celebrate this milestone.

“It’s a major achievement for us. These drugs have had a huge impact on the lives of many of our patients, and we are extremely grateful — particularly to our Executive Team, who have provided the resources to make this possible.

“We want to continue expanding this service and offer it to as many patients as possible — 200 is our next milestone.”

People with severe asthma are encouraged to visit their GP in the first instance, where they can be assessed for suitability and referred for biological injections if appropriate.