Long Covid: Health Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on supporting people with Long Covid.
Answered by Mrs Sharon Hodgson
The Government is aware that post-acute infection conditions, such as Long Covid, can have a devastating effect on those who suffer from them. We are committed to taking a comprehensive and compassionate approach to supporting individuals with post-acute infection conditions such as Long Covid, recognising the unique challenges these conditions present.
NHS England has invested significantly in supporting people with Long Covid. This includes setting up specialist post-COVID, or Long Covid, services nationwide for adults, and children and young people, and investing in ensuring general practice teams are equipped to support people affected by the condition.
Since April 2024, in line with the National Health Service operating framework and the establishment of integrated care systems, commissioning of post-COVID services has been the responsibility of local integrated care boards to meet the needs of their population, subject to local prioritisation and funding.
Where referral into a Long Covid service is not possible, for example because a service has closed or is due to close, general practitioners can refer patients into other appropriate existing NHS pathways, depending on their clinical needs.
To support clinical leadership in this area, NHS England worked in partnership with the British Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine to establish the International Post Covid and Post Infection Conditions Society to facilitate the ongoing sharing of best practice to support people affected by Long Covid.
Officials routinely engage with other government departments on Long Covid-related issues which span departmental boundaries.
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