The British Thoracic Society (BTS) says the numbers of lung specialists working in the UK needs to be doubled if patients are not to suffer.

At present many respiratory patients are treated by generalists when they require specialist care.

The BTS wants the UK to match the European Union average of one lung specialist for every 60,000 people.

The UK has one specialist doctor for every 121,000 people. This is fewer consultant respiratory physicians per head of population than other other EU member except the Irish Republic

A BTS report, Respiratory Medicine Into the Next Millennium, warns that some hospitals could be left without specialist respiratory care for up to two months a year when doctors take leave.

In 1996 there were only 487 full-time designated consultants working in the field.

Intense pressure

BTS spokesperson Dr Michael Pearson, a consultant chest physician working in Liverpool, said lung specialists were under intense pressure from a huge workload.

Smoking has increased doctors' workload

Approximately one quarter of all hospital admissions in the UK are patients suffering from respiratory illness.

One in 20 people suffer from asthma, 40,000 people die each year from lung cancer and 27,000 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is often exacerbated by smoking.

Dr Pearson said it was desirable that all respiratory patients were seen by a lung specialist within 24 hours of presenting at hospital,

New figures show that only one in two COPD patients is seen by an appropriate specialist during their entire hospital stay.

Specialist care needed

Dr Pearson said: "There is good data to show that if you have a specific condition you get better care if you see an appropriate specialist, and not somebody who has to take a general approach.

"The accuracy of diagnosis suffers and that means patients do not receive appropriate treatment at the appropriate time, or inappropriate treatment is given which is a complete waste of time and money, and may carry a potential risk of side effects."

Dr Pearson said lives could be put at risk by sub-standard care.