By John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter: A long Covid rehabilitation service serving part of the West Country since 2020 is facing closure due to dwindling numbers presenting with the condition.
Established in May 2020, more than 2,000 people had been referred to Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (BSW)’s long Covid service by August 2022. But since then the numbers have dropped.
A report which went before a Bath and North East Somerset Scrutiny panel on March 9 said: “Long Covid services in BSW no longer represent a good use of limited resource or value for money. The demand for long Covid care has fallen significantly over the past few years and now just over 200 patients a year across BSW are referred for support.”
Now BSW’s preferred course of action is to close the standalone long Covid service and integrate the care into other existing pathways — but councillors on the scrutiny committee raised concerns.
Dr Bharat Pankhania (Combe Down, Liberal Democrat), who is an infectious diseases expert, said: “We are still in unknown territory and because we are still in unknown territory, it is important to keep our surveillance up.”
He said it was important to continue to identify the emerging signs, symptoms and disabilities coming from persistent and repeated Covid infections. He added: “Unfortunately, this is a huge pull on NHS resources but I don’t think we can ignore it just because it is a huge pull. We need to keep a watchful eye and see what’s developing.”
David Harding (Chew Valley, Liberal Democrat) added: “We don’t really know the incidence of long covid. We are seeing rising rates of people claiming disability etc, partly perhaps because of long covid or other effects of covid over the last four years or five years.”
He questioned whether everyone with the condition would know about the long Covid service offered by BSW. Eleanor Jackson (Westfield, Labour) said that, as someone who had had long Covid, she wondered if there could be a specific GP set up for Covid sufferers, in the same way that there is a specific service for veterans.
BSW has now agreed to come back to the committee with more information. The integrated care board is also briefing the health scrutiny committees at Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Council on the plan to end the service. Other options to closure are also being considered.
Once councillors have been briefed on the plan to end the service, BSW plans to carry out targeted engagement with users of the service, analyse their responses and update scrutiny committees again on any changes to the plan. The changes will then be publicised to patients and public, with them expected to take effect in the second quarter of 2026/27.
The main symptoms of long Covid include extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, difficulties with concentration and memory, joint pain, and aching muscles. The report said: “There’s currently no cure for long COVID and the condition is still being researched.”
Bath Voice and Local Democracy Reporters
The journalists are funded by the BBC as part of its latest Charter commitment, but are employed by regional news organisations. A total of 165 reporters are allocated to news organisations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland including Bath Voice. These organisations range from television and radio stations to online media companies and established regional newspaper groups. Local Democracy Reporters cover top-tier local authorities, second-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
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