Respiratory services could buckle under pressure without urgent action on capacity

The Covid-19 pandemic is causing delays in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with respiratory conditions 

Hospital respiratory services could buckle under pressure unless urgent action is taken to increase capacity and boost diagnostics, the Irish Thoracic Society has warned.

The warning follows a recent survey of respiratory consultants, who have expressed concern over the impact of Covid-19 on services, in particular on growing waiting lists, delays in diagnosis, treatment, and care, inadequate staffing and insufficient bed capacity.