A REVIEW of Wales’ long-Covid programme has found it is “helping to treat and manage the needs of people who have sought help for their symptoms”, despite fears being raised that a “piecemeal” approach to the problem is “forcing people to go private.”

The £5m Adferiad (Recovery) programme was set up by the Welsh Government to diagnose, rehabilitate and support those suffering from long-Covid in Wales.

All health boards in Wales provide integrated, multi-professional rehabilitation services for people with long-Covid and refer people to specialist care services wherever needed.

A review of the programme assessed information provided by health boards and feedback from almost 600 people who had accessed long-Covid services in Wales.

Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson on health and care Rhun ap Iorwerth MS has renewed his party’s calls for specialist long Covid clinics, saying “the lack of clinics in Wales is forcing many people to pay for private medical care.”

“There are thousands of people in Wales with long term symptoms following Covid – but with the current approach, there’s little certainty in the medical outcomes they can expect.”

“Feedback from the long-Covid cross party group which I co-chair, says that Welsh Government must rethink its approach and set up the specialist teams that patients and medical experts internationally are calling for.

“We didn’t expect GPs to work in isolation when COVID-19 first arrived, so why does government think this is appropriate now?

“This piecemeal approach to a serious condition is forcing some patients to go private, which is awful when you consider that long-Covid is more prevalent in people living in more deprived areas.

“Treatment for long COVID should not be a preserve of the rich.”

Minister for Health and Social Services Eluned Morgan said: “We are committed to ensuring every person suffering from long-Covid receives support and care tailored to their particular needs and symptoms rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, as close to home as possible.

“It’s great to see the results of this review, which show people are receiving the right care they need for them and positive health outcomes are being maximised.

“We know it affects everyone differently. By following the primary care model we have ensured people are treated by the most appropriate specialists for their symptoms.

“Not everyone suffering from long-Covid will need to see a specialist and this model will stop people waiting a long time for treatment.

“We are still learning about long-Covid and this review will help us improve services further.”