Covid in Scotland: New £10m long Covid fund for health boards

Long Covid had two dozen common symptoms including fatigue, a cough and breathlessness

The Scottish government has set up a £10m fund to help health boards support long Covid patients.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said the fund would improve existing services within the NHS and third sector.

It follows £760,000 being spent on a long Covid support service, run by the charity Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland (CHSS).

Last week CHSS claimed thousands of people with the condition had not been referred because of "NHS bureaucracy".

The charity also highlighted problems with sharing patient information as they published a long Covid action plan, calling on the Scottish government to make a number of changes.

• Thousands 'not referred' to long Covid support service

• 'I don't feel 23 anymore, I feel so much older'

• Fund could ease 'constant battle' of long Covid

The latest figures from the ONS estimate 74,000 people in Scotland are living with "self-reported" long Covid.

About 60,000 had experienced long Covid symptoms for more than 12 weeks and 28,000 for a year.

The condition has more than two dozen common symptoms - though experts have said they are often unpredictable and affect patients in different ways - and can last months.

New research suggests that being fully vaccinated against Covid cuts the risk of an infection turning into long Covid.

The Scottish government said the fund would be "flexible" and tailored to local needs, in line with CHSS's recommendation on local support services.

It said the money would "strengthen" the range of information and advice available, ensure GPs have the right support available and provide a response "focused on each patient's needs" - with referrals to secondary care "where necessary".

It is understood details of exactly how the fund will be used will be shared with health boards in due course.

'Still work to be done'

Mr Yousaf reiterated the Scottish government's position that long Covid "can't be handled with a one-size-fits-all approach".

He said: "The new long Covid support fund will give our NHS boards the flexibility to design and deliver the best care for those with long Covid, tailored to the specific needs of their populations.

"Long Covid patients are being supported by the full range of NHS services - primary care teams and community-based rehabilitation services with referrals to secondary care where necessary - and I want to thank our dedicated staff for their hard work."

Jane-Claire Judson, chief executive at CHSS, welcomed the funding as a "positive step" but there warned there was "still a lot of work to be done".

She said: "It is fantastic to see the Scottish government responding directly to what patients and clinicians have asked for.

"We will be working closely with health boards and the Scottish government in the coming months to ensure that the fund is being used to meet the needs of people living with Long Covid in Scotland."

• RULES: What are the restrictions in your area?

• EASING: What rules are changing, and when?

• CASES: Where are the latest cases in Scotland?

• WHO? The people who have died with Covid-19