People living with respiratory disease require a significant amount of support, guidance and intervention to manage their condition effectively. These interventions should be delivered by clinicians with an appropriate level of expertise in this field.

There are no mandatory training requirements for healthcare professionals delivering respiratory care and the quality of care and patient pathways are variable throughout the country depending on the knowledge, skills, competence and confidence of those delivering care.

Patients with respiratory disease deserve equal access to early and accurate diagnosis, high standards of care, delivered by practitioners with suitable training and experience.

Noel Baxter PCRS Policy Lead and Tracey Lonergan PCRS Policy Coordinator.