Footnotes

• Twitter @UKGastroDr

• Contributors AC and AMV wrote the introduction—AC wrote the section on 'factors influencing current backlog', AMV wrote the section on 'obstacles'. OD and SJ reviewed and helped to revise the manuscript.

• Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

• Competing interests None declared.

• Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.