Overview
- Call 999 for suspected pneumonia if you cannot speak due to severe breathing difficulty, if lips or skin turn pale or blue, if sudden confusion occurs, or if a baby is unresponsive or floppy.
- A productive cough bringing up green, yellow or rusty phlegm with fever and breathlessness suggests pneumonia rather than a routine viral or allergic cough, with chest pain and confusion flagged as additional concerns.
- GP assessment typically includes checks of oxygen saturation, breathing rate, temperature and pulse, chest examination, and a chest X‑ray if the clinician is worried.
- Most cases respond to oral antibiotics and fluids at home, while severe illness may require hospital care with oxygen and intravenous fluids; the NHS advises rest, hydration and pain relief rather than cough suppressants.
- Hospital admissions for pneumonia were 518,525 in England last year with nearly one in five readmitted within 30 days, with higher risks for infants, older adults and people with chronic conditions or weakened immunity.