Medical Appointments
It is a good idea to take with you notes of key points you wish to convey and questions to ask, and also to take notes during appointments.
UK: The NICE clinical guideline states that patients may be referred by their GP 4+ weeks from known or suspected Covid-19, and that you don’t need to have a positive test result or to have been hospitalised. People should be offered tests and investigations tailored to their signs and symptoms to rule out acute or life-threatening complications and find out if symptoms are likely to be caused by Long COVID or a new, unrelated diagnosis.
US: The CDC clinical guideline states that post-COVID conditions are a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems people can experience four or more weeks after first being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Even people who did not have COVID-19 symptoms in the days or weeks after they were infected can have post-COVID conditions.
What you can do if you are still struggling to get help:
If you live in England, you can write to:
Your GP (doc) or GP Practice Manager. Also, your GP practice should have a Patient Participation Group, consisting of patients and carers, the practice manager and one or more GPs.
Your local Healthwatch, (there is one in every area of England). They aim to serve as a champion for the public in all matters relating to healthcare.
The following link provides more information as to how patients can have a say in their local healthcare services.
You can also write to your local MP and request that they advocate on your behalf.
Mental health and bereavement
- Samaritans Phone 116 123
- Mind - the mental health charity
- Every Mind Matters - practical tips/activities on looking after your mental health for all ages
- The Help Hub - Free confidential telephone/video consultation with trained therapist/counsellor
- Childline - support for under 18's Phone 0800 1111
- National Bereavement Alliance - directory of bereavement support organisations,that offer specialist advice and support to adults and children that have lost someone close to them.
- Cruse Bereavement Care - Experienced volunteers provide free and confidential advice, information and support for anyone who has been bereaved, by telephone, email or face-to-face. They also offer support to young people on their website. Phone: 0808 808 1677
Work, benefits and finances
- Citizens Advice
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - advice on claiming
- Find help and support if you have long COVID - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) - Find help and support in the UK
- Ctizensadvice.org.uk PIP points table
- Citizensadvice.org.uk PIP how decisions are made
- Disabilityrightsuk.org PIP a guide to making a claim
- Turn2us.org.uk - PIP: What is the PIP test
- Money Saving Expert - Financial advice including coronavirus specific guides
- Step Change - free confidential advice on debt/money management
- Debt Advice Foundation - free confidential debt advice
- Support information for NHS employees
- SOM Return to Work Guide for Recovering Workers - The Society of Occupational Medicine
- Long COVID and Returning to Work - What Works.pdf (som.org.uk) - guidance on the identification and management of Long Covid
- Returning to work with ongoing COVID-19 symptoms - Four videos of guidance for employees and managers
- Your road to recovery - Returning to work - Your COVID Recovery