First debate on long Covid to be heard in Scottish Parliament

Long Covid could turn out to be the “biggest mass disabling event since the First World War”, MSPs are set to hear, in the first Holyrood debate on the issue.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton will on Tuesday lead the first Scottish Parliament debate on long Covid, as new figures published this week show the number of people reporting experiencing the condition on October 2 soared to 92,000, up 13,000 on the previous month.

The party is to argue for specialist long Covid clinics in every health board as well as the training of long Covid community nurses to offer in-home support and country-wide access to long Covid physiotherapy and multi-disciplinary rehab.

The Lib Dems are also seeking a policy of no financial detriment for workers who are absent for long periods of time due to long Covid.

The first debate on long covid is to be held in Holyrood.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “Honestly it is absolutely shameful that it is taking an opposition party debate for the plight of long Covid sufferers to be heard in our nation’s Parliament.

“Long Covid may turn out to be the biggest mass disabling event since the First World War, but despite the hard work of campaigners, the health secretary has his fingers in his ears.”

He added: “People have been left with muscle spasms, chronic fatigue, diarrhoea, air hunger to the point of gasping for breath.

"The Scottish Government’s action plan on long Covid is totally unfit for the scale of this challenge. I have spoken with constituents who would be better off moving to England where there are well-established clinics and a care pathway.

“The health secretary should know that long Covid sufferers shall not let this rest and nor shall I.

"We need specialist long Covid clinics in every health board, the training of long Covid community nurses to offer in-home support, country-wide access to long Covid physiotherapy and multi-disciplinary rehab and a policy of no financial detriment for workers who are absent for long periods of time due to long Covid.”

In England, the UK Government has committed £34 million for the creation of at least 83 specialist long Covid clinics.

Northern Ireland has also set up specialist clinics, and in Wales the Labour government has invested at least £5m in long Covid services and clinical pathways.

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