Long COVID Support Fund: FOI release

Information requested

The following in relation to the Long COVID Support Fund as at 31st January 2022:

A) Which Health Boards have requested funding, how much funding was requested and for what purpose?

B) How much of the Long Covid Support Fund has been allocated and paid to individual Health Boards?

C) Which Health Boards have received funding, how much funding have they received and what should the money be spent on?

D) Are Health Boards permitted to use the funds to support delivery of existing Long Covid care and treatment services?

E) Has the Scottish Government ruled out establishing dedicated Long Covid clinics?

Response

A) NHS Boards are already taking action to ensure that people are supported in the most appropriate way possible, and are currently developing improvement plans to strengthen the key elements of care for people with long COVID. As part of this work, the Strategic Network on the long-term effects of COVID-19 established by NHS National Services Scotland is supporting NHS Boards in their gap analyses, to develop local improvement plans which will form the basis of future funding requests to the long COVID Support Fund. No funding requests have been received yet but we anticipate they will be forthcoming after the gap analyses is complete.

As stated in the response to PQ S6W-05799 on 26 January 2022, we anticipate that the long COVID Support Fund will be allocated and spent over the next three financial years (2022-23, 2023-24, 2024- 25). Payments from the fund will begin from early in the next financial year.

B) As stated in the response to PQ S6W-05799 on 26 January 2022, we anticipate that the long COVID Support Fund will be allocated and spent over the next three financial years (2022-23, 2023-24, 2024- 25).

C) As stated in the response to PQ S6W-05799 on 26 January 2022, we anticipate that the long COVID Support Fund will be allocated and spent over the next three financial years (2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25).

D) The fund will provide additional resource to support NHS Boards to develop and deliver the best models of care appropriate for their populations, which could include strengthening and improving the co-ordination of existing services, or establishing dedicated services (including ‘long COVID clinics’) if appropriate.

E) No. It is for each NHS Board to develop and deliver the best models of care appropriate for their local population and that is why our Approach Paper underlines our commitment to making sure our NHS is resourced to respond innovatively to the needs of people with long COVID.

Whilst long COVID clinics are one model NHS Boards may consider, we recognise that no one single approach is likely to fit all areas and circumstances.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.