Long Covid: Dedicated clinics launched for NI patients

The first dedicated assessment and treatment clinics for patients with long Covid have been launched across Northern Ireland.

Patients are to be given advice on managing the condition and referred to other services where necessary.

Health Minister Robin Swann said establishing the clinics had been a priority.

On Friday, officials had warned the service would be delayed until the end of November.

The assessment clinics were initially meant to be in place by the end of October.

But on Monday morning it was announced that they would be accepting referrals immediately across all health trust areas.

Patients must be referred to a clinic either by their GP or by a hospital consultant.

If a patient's GP considers their symptoms to be a result of long Covid it will not matter whether or not they have previously tested positive for the virus.

Mr Swann said people suffering from long-term effects of Covid-19 will be offered treatment including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and nursing.

"The clinics will allow people to have a comprehensive assessment of their condition and will help them access the services and expert advice they need to support them in their recovery," he said.

The minister said work was "well advanced" on further services for long Covid sufferers, including a pulmonary rehabilitation and dysfunctional breathing service for those with significant respiratory symptoms after contracting the virus.

"I will continue to review services on an ongoing basis to ensure the best possible help and advice is available for those suffering from post Covid-19 symptoms," he added.

About 20,000 people in Northern Ireland have been waiting patiently for this news.

The figure is an estimate as there are no official statistics for the number actually affected.

That's a problem in itself as no one actually knows how many patient care plans need to be developed and how many specialist staff are required to treat them.

The service, which is only in its infancy, has a lot to live up to.

Many with long Covid cannot return to work or live a normal life and many say they feel abandoned and that their patience has run out.

Their symptoms - including fatigue, joint pain and brain fog - do not come with quick-fix treatments.

Instead rehabilitation will take time and will have to be provided by specialist staff.

The problem is that this is another essential service in a system that is already stretched to the limit.

At this stage I am curious to know how these clinics will be staffed and just how long will people have to wait to be seen.

This could be another challenge for the Department of Health- as according to some patients they've already been waiting too long.

Long Covid clinics were opened across England in November 2020.

In the UK, long Covid is broadly defined as a condition that develops during or after the initial Covid-19 infection; continues for more than 12 weeks; and its symptoms cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis.

More than 200 symptoms have been linked to the illness but some of the main symptoms are extreme fatigue, breathlessness, brain fog (neurological and memory loss), heart problems and severe headaches.