Long Covid sufferers offered specialist help at Cambridgeshire Hospital

Addenbrooke’s is one of more than 60 sites taking referrals from GPs for people experiencing brain fog, anxiety, depression, breathlessness, fatigue and other debilitating symptoms.

NHS England has provided £10 million for the network of clinics, which started opening last month. There are now 69 operating across the country with hundreds of patients already getting help.

New research has shown one in five people with coronavirus develop longer term symptoms. Around 186,000 people suffer problems for up to 12 weeks, the Office for National Statistics found.

The new centres bring together doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists to offer both physical and psychological assessments and refer patients to the right treatment and rehabilitation services.

Ten sites are now operational in London, seven in the East of England, eight in the Midlands, South East and South West respectively, nine in the North West and a further 18 across the North East and Yorkshire.

A further 12 sites are earmarked to launch in January in the East Midlands, Lancashire, Cornwall and Isle of Wight.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has also issued official guidance on best practice for recognising, investigating and rehabilitating patients with Long Covid.

Patients can access services if they are referred by a GP or another healthcare professional so that doctors can first rule out other possible underlying causes for symptoms.

Sir Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive, said: “The NHS is taking practical action to help patients suffering ongoing health issues as a result of coronavirus. Bringing expert clinicians together in these clinics will deliver an integrated approach to support patients access vital rehabilitation, as well as helping develop a greater understanding of Long Covid and its debilitating symptoms.”

The NHS has also launched a Long Covid taskforce with patients, charities, researchers and clinicians involved to help lead the NHS response to Long Covid, produce information and support materials for patients and healthcare professionals, and develop a wider understanding of the condition.

List of services:

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust -Berkshire Long Covid Integrated Service

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Virgin Care Services Limited & Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Surrey County Hospital

East Surrey and west Sussex- First Community Health & Care

Community Surrey Health Surrey & Ashford & St Peter’s Hospital

Surrey Downs Health & Care Partnership

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Mid and South Essex- Provide Community Interest Company.

Hertfordshire Community Service Health Care Trust

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.

Norfolk Community Health and Care Trust

Liverpool university Foundation Hospital Trust

Manchester Foundation Trust (Manchester Royal Infirmary, Wythenshawe Hospital)

North Care Alliance (Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Royal Oldham Hospital)

North Manchester General

Tameside & Glossop Integrated Trust

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

Wrightington Wigan and Leigh Foundation Trust

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS foundation Trust

North Cumbria Integrated Care Foundation Trust

The Newcastle upon Tyne Foundation Hospitals Trust

Northumbria Healthcare Foundation Trust

County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust

North Tees & Hartlepool Foundation Trust

South Tees Hospitals Foundation Trust

York Teaching Hospital HS Foundation Trust

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust

North Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust

The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust

Barnsley Healthcare Federation

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Bradford Teaching hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

The Mid Yorkshire Hospital NHS Trust

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust (UHCW)

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Shropshire Community Health Trust

Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust

Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Northampton General Hospital, Kettering General Hospital

University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust and Provider Company Ltd arm of the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Alliance

Bath, Swindon and Wiltshire -Wiltshire health and care

Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire - Sirona care and Health

Gloucestershire Hospitals Foundation Trust

Gloucestershire health and care foundation Trust

University College London Hospital Trust (UCLH)

Homerton University Hospital Foundation Trust (Homerton University Hospital)

Barts Health NHS Trust, Royal London Hospital and St Bartholomew’s Hospital

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (King George Hospital)

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (Northwick Park Hospital)

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (St Marys Hospital)

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Trust Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

Kings Health Partners (Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust) - St Thomas Site

Kings Health Partners (Kings College Health Foundation Trust) kings College Hospital

St Georges NHS Trust St Georges Hospital