Opposition parties unite to urge Yousaf to roll out charity’s long Covid support service across the whole of Scotland
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has been told to “stop side-stepping” long Covid as opposition MSPS called for a support service to be rolled out to help thousands of Scots.
The Scottish Government has been urged to adopt a digitalserviceofferinghelpwhichis currently only available to long Covid patients in Edinburgh and Midlothian.
Labour’s Jackie Baillie, Conservative Sandesh Gulhane and Alex Cole-hamilton of the Liberal Democrats have said the service offered by the Chest Heart&strokescotland(chss) charity will ensure the 180,000 people with long Covid have access to adequate support.
The charity worked with NHS Lothian and Pogo Digital Healthcare to create a digital platform called My Tailored Talks, which brings primary care and third sector services together for the first time.
Itenablesgpstoreferpatients directlytotailoredself-management information and CHSS’S long Covid support services.
The system aims to improve patientcarewhilelimitingpressure on GPS, the charity said.
In a letter to Mr Yousaf, the oppositionmspssaid:“itissimply not acceptable for so little support to be available, or for it to be so inconsistent across the country. We desperately need the Scottish Government to take more action and provide the services that people have been asking for two years.
“We’re calling on the Scottish Government to support Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland to roll out the long Covid pathway across Scotland to make sure everyone with this condition has access to practical and emotional support, no matter where they live.
“The Scottish Government needs to take action to support people with long Covid now.”
The digital service prompts users to answer a questionnaire on their symptoms, and they are offered bespoke content based on their responses.
Patients can then request a callbackfromthecharity’sspecialist long Covid helpline and GPS are automatically given the information presented to the service.
Jane-claire Judson, CHSS chiefexecutive,said:“longcovid is a major public health issue and the Scottish Government needs to stop side-stepping the problem and face it square on.
“Manypeople’sliveshavebeen turned upside down, they are … scared and desperately need help and advice.”