GP and Scottish Conservative MSP Dr Sandesh Gulhane has published a policy paper outlining key recommendations to tackle long COVID in Scotland.
Informed by his experience with patients, Dr Gulhane is calling on the SNP Government to treat the disease with the seriousness it deserves.
His detailed blueprint for tackling long COVID outlines a number of key recommendations for SNP ministers, including:
- Publish a clear long COVID strategy.
- Create a specific long COVID care fund.
- Work with health services and research institutions across the UK to discover more about the disease.
- Invest in a network of specialist clinics.
- Adopt an app-based treatment service.
Dr Gulhane says that patients cannot wait for further research to be carried out and the GP system is on the verge of being completely overwhelmed.
Scottish Conservative Shadow Public Health Minister, Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP said: “As a GP, I have seen the devastating effects of long COVID on many of my patients. Fit and healthy individuals have been left crippled by fatigue or gasping for breath.
“This policy paper is the first step to get the SNP Government to treat long COVID with the seriousness it deserves. We need to see SNP ministers urgently outline a clear strategy to tackle the disease and ring-fence funding to specifically treat long COVID patients.
“A network of long COVID clinics, alongside a new app-based treatment service, would ensure we reach everyone struggling with this debilitating condition.
“Patients cannot wait for years for action. Too many people who fought COVID are still suffering with the consequences, months after they caught the virus.
“I urge SNP ministers to get on top of long COVID now before it spirals and has serious knock-on consequences for other services in Scotland’s NHS.”
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P2l34EbeLhNsgBOw1E1pqeHim2gHC24R/view?usp=sharing