"Long covid"

Hi perseusqn38, I am sorry to hear you have long covid, this must be very difficult to deal with. I am pleased to hear you have found a good Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist and it sounds like you have supportive doctors too. I am not a clinical member of staff but I am liaising with my clinical colleagues to get a response from their perspective and will post this here as soon as I can.

Hi perseusqn38

Please see below a response from Dr Alison Clement which explains our position in Tayside. I do hope with continued support your symptoms improve.

"Many thanks for your Care Opinion feedback.

In Tayside we are following the national guidance on managing Post COVID 19 Syndrome (Long COVID). There are no specific treatments for Long COVID and GPs have now developed experience in this condition which can have a lasting and significant impact on a person. It is important prior to a diagnosis of Long Covid to exclude any alternative condition causing problems. Checking for other conditions is best done by your own GP who will have full access to your medical records and any tests which may be required, or any particular symptoms requiring a referral to be investigated by a specialist. Rehabilitation with an occupational therapist can be very helpful to help people return to work. It is reassuring most people show an improvement in symptoms over time and I do hope in time your symptoms do improve. Dr Alison Clement"

Hi there perseusqn38

I do understand it must be difficult and frustrating living with a long-term condition such as long covid. There are some support agencies you can access, you may have already found them but in-case not:

- Long Covid Scotland: this is a volunteer-led charity run by people living with Long Covid on behalf of those living with Long Covid. This organization collectively advocates on employment and benefits, research and local and national policy. You can find them here: https://www.longcovid.scot/

- Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) has been funded by the Scottish Government to provide expert advice on how to manage long COVID symptoms such as fatigue and breathlessness. The advice line is staffed by healthcare professionals who can offer practical support for anyone struggling with the long-term effects of Covid-19. 0808 801 0899 (FREE from landlines and mobiles) You can find their website here: https://www.chss.org.uk/long-covid/

- NHS Inform also provides some good information that you can find here: https://www.nhsinform.scot/long-term-effects-of-covid-19-long-covid/about-long-covid/your-recovery

In addition, there have been some public freedom of info requests submitted to NHS Tayside on this topic. Disclosures in response to these requests may prove informative to you and can be found here: https://www.nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk/YourRights/PROD_344857/index.htm

I hope you find something in these resources helpful, however, as I am replying on behalf of Angus Health & Social Care Partnership, you may feel you would like to speak further to someone from NHS Tayside. This would be where to go with concerns about waiting times, alternative treatment options or strategic decisions taken around long-covid pathways. You can contact them here: tay.feedback@nhs.scot.

Thank you, once again, for sharing your important feedback. Please take care and I hope you feel much better soon. Kind regards, Shona