West Midlands long Covid sufferers at 'crisis point'
1 in 4 had to wait more than 3 months to be seen by specialists
There's concern that people suffering with long-Covid are at a "crisis point" facing delays with the NHS.
Latest figures show over 158-thousand people self-reported being ill in the West Midlands, in the 4 weeks to April.
Of those who managed to get an appointment, 1 in 4 had to wait more than 3 months to be seen by a specialist.
Asthma and Lung UK tells us they've seen the number of people seeking help double between September and March.
Sarah Woolnough, its chief executive, said: "As we near the grim milestone of two million people living with long Covid, there is still a dismal lack of treatments for this disabling condition, which is leaving people fighting for breath and devastating every aspect of their life, health, work and relationships.
"Coupled with a lack of support and long wait times for specialist care, hundreds of thousands of people are turning to charities like Asthma and Lung UK, desperate for vital advice and support.
"With cases only rising, the problem is not going to go away.
"The Government must invest in more research into possible treatments and staffing for long Covid clinics to help people with this new and unpredictable condition to get their lives back on track."