A leading consultant has warned of a huge backlog of untreated respiratory diseases in Ireland as the health service grapples with Covid-19 cases. The number of people waiting to see a respiratory consultant has jumped to more than 21,000 - an increase of 7% compared to figures at the start of the pandemic. Read MoreDr O'Brien said the already under-resourced respiratory services will come under further pressure due to the burden of coronavirus. Dr O'Brien also said that dedicated respiratory units are needed across hospitals to help deal with the backlog of cases. "The number of patients referred from GPs has gone down meaning fewer people with respiratory conditions are presenting themselves to GPs.

Source: Irish Independent December 29, 2020 11:15 UTC