Dedicated long Covid clinics in the North East and Cumbria are scheduled to close this month, a decision that has drawn opposition from patients and elected officials.
A Patient's Struggle
Susannah Thompson, a 46-year-old former General Practitioner from Blyth, Northumberland, contracted Covid-19 in 2020 while working with patients. Within a year, her condition deteriorated, leading to multiple medical issues including a heart condition, acute pain, skin and breathing problems, and cognitive difficulties, which now require her to use a wheelchair and prevent her from working. Thompson stated she struggles with conversation, thinking ability, and short-term memory.
Thompson expressed a view that individuals living with long Covid are being overlooked by political figures and the National Health Service.
High Regional Impact
Official figures from 2023 indicated that approximately 94,000 people in the North East were experiencing long Covid, with 64,000 reporting symptoms for over a year. The region recorded the highest proportion of individuals with the condition nationally.
NHS Explains Clinic Closures
Patients affected by the clinic closures are being advised to utilize general services across various medical specialisms, with treatment guided by their specific symptoms. The approach is shifting to refer patients to the most appropriate specialists based on their individual symptoms.
A spokesperson for the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) explained that the decision to close the dedicated clinics was based on a reduction in demand over time and evolving patient needs.
Backlash and Calls for Support
North Durham MP Luke Akehurst criticized the ICB's decision, describing it as 'misguided' and 'shocking,' and has joined a cross-party parliamentary group advocating for improved long Covid care. Dr. Margaret O'Hara, representing the pressure group Long Covid Support, voiced concerns that the issue is being disregarded.
Dr. Rae Duncan, a consultant cardiologist and long Covid researcher, highlighted that the pandemic's effects persist and called for increased funding for clinical trials to test potential treatments.
Government Stance on Long Covid
A government spokesperson affirmed that local integrated care boards are responsible for supporting long Covid patients and that GPs should refer individuals to existing services as clinically appropriate.
The spokesperson also noted government funding for research into the condition, including clinical trials for various treatments, due to the lack of a single cure for the condition.