A ‘specialist smoke inhalation’ clinic has launched in Sydney, offering rapid-access appointments with respiratory physicians for patients with asthma or COPD exacerbated by bushfire smoke.

The Breathe Easy clinic opened at Macquarie University on Monday with five respiratory doctors on staff, who say they will keep the clinic open as long as there is patient demand.

Clinic head Professor Alvin Ing has promised patients referred by GPs will be seen within about a week, rather than 3-4 months, which he says is common for appointments with respiratory specialists.

“Without a dedicated clinic, these patients could get lost in the noise of all the other patients we are seeing,” he says.