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18
Dec 2020
'Long covid clinic' opens at Harrogate District Hospital
Harrogate will be one of almost 70 locations in the UK to operate a clinic for people suffering with long-term effects from coronavirus, the NHS announced today.
The long covid clinics will take referrals from GPs for people suffering from a wide range of symptoms, including breathlessness, fatigue, anxiety and depression, after they have recovered from the virus itself.
Hosted by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, the centre will offer specialist treatment from doctors and nurses as well as physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Physical and psychological assessments will be carried out before patients are directed to appropriate treatment and rehabilitation.
NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said:
Read more:
- North Yorkshire GPs begin delivering covid vaccine
- Harrogate hospital set for £800,000 maintenance upgrades
Research by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) showed one in five people with coronavirus went on to develop long-term symptoms. Around 186,000 people were affected for up to 12 weeks, according to the research.
The Harrogate District Hospital clinic is one of 18 similar operations which have been launched across the North East and Yorkshire. NHS England has provided £10 million of funding for the 69 sites across the country.
A new national covid taskforce has also been launched by the NHS, bringing patients, charities, researchers and clinicians together to lead the response to long covid, producing information and supporting materials for patients and healthcare professionals, and developing a wider understanding of the condition.
Are you suffering with long-term effects after having covid-19? What do you think of the plans for the new clinic? Get in touch to share your views and experiences: contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
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