Long Covid patients face 'postcode lottery' for treatment, nurses warn

7 June 2022, 10:03 | Updated: 7 June 2022, 10:41

Patients with long Covid-19 are suffering due to a so-called 'postcode lottery' in care, nurses have warned.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned that diagnosis and treatment of long Covid varies hugely across the UK.

The union raised fears patients may be missing out on care they need because of a lack of dedicated clinics across Wales and Scotland.

It also warned patients in England who are served by a network of specialist clinics were facing lengthy wait times with more than 30 per cent waiting longer than 15 weeks for an initial assessment.

But it said wait times varied widely across the country with nearly half of patients waiting the 15 weeks in the south-east and south-west while only 20 per cent of patients in the north-west had to wait that long.

The union said many practices are treating long Covid as a physical condition, while others see it as psychological.

Read more: What is long Covid and what are the symptoms?

RCN members, speaking at a nurses conference in Glasgow, described the symptoms as "debilitating".

Yorkshire-based mental health nurse Jo Strucke, who works in a specialist service, said: "Some of our patients have really complex physical health problems and their lives have been transformed.

"They may be unable to work, socialise and do things they previously enjoyed."

RCN public health lead Helen Donovan said: "As nursing staff we see first-hand how life-limiting long Covid can be.

"There are not enough specialist services to meet growing demand and the help patients get varies hugely across the country."

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