Some conditions may no longer make headlines, but that doesn't mean they have gone away. For many people, the effects of COVID-19 continue long after the initial infection, impacting their health, work and everyday lives.
Tuesday 18 August, Chief Executive Nic Atkinson spent time with the Post-COVID Service team to learn more about the support they provide to people living with ongoing symptoms. From helping individuals better understand their condition to connecting them with specialist support, the team plays an important role in helping people navigate what can often be a complex and challenging journey.
In this blog, Nic reflects on the conversations she had with the team, the difference their work makes, and why it is important that we continue to recognise the ongoing impact of Long COVID and the support available to those affected.
Today I spent time with our CityCare Post-COVID Service team and enjoyed the opportunity to hear more about the work they are leading and the difference it makes for people living with symptoms that persist for 12 weeks or more after a COVID-19 infection.
We talked about the wide range of symptoms people experience, including fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness, cough, joint pain and muscle aches, and how different each person's experience can be.
One of the things that stayed with me was hearing how long and difficult the journey can be before some people find their way to the service. The team's approach is centred around the individual, combining clinical assessment and symptom management with access to nurses, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, talking therapies and vocational rehabilitation. We also discussed the important role of the Care Navigator in helping people access the right support and avoid feeling lost in the system.
The conversation highlighted the difference this support can make. For some people it helps them stay in work through reasonable adjustments, while for others it helps them make decisions about different ways of working and living that better support their health and wellbeing. We also discussed the team's health inequalities work, using data to identify communities that may not be accessing support and exploring how we can raise awareness of this issue and our support offer through local communities and primary care.
We reflected on how COVID-19 has, understandably, become normalised in everyday life. With routine NHS testing no longer available for the general public and no specific treatment for Long COVID, the condition can sometimes be overlooked when people present with ongoing symptoms, particularly where there is no formal diagnosis of a previous infection.
My main takeaway was how important it is that we don't lose sight of Long COVID simply because it is discussed less often than it was a few years ago. Recent messaging from the World Health Organization reinforces this point, challenging the misconception that Long COVID is a thing of the past and highlighting the ongoing impact the condition continues to have on millions of people.
Behind every referral is a person trying to make sense of symptoms that can have a significant impact on their daily life. Listening to the team today was a reminder that whilst there may not always be a straightforward answer or treatment, helping people understand what is happening to them and supporting them to find a way forward can make a real difference
Date published: 20 August 2026
