Long Covid: the doctors’ lives destroyed by an illness they caught while doing their jobs (BMJ, 20 September 2023)

Summary

Unable to work or to play with their children, forced to sell their homes or facing insolvency—doctors with Long Covid deserve more support from the government and the NHS, writes Adele Waters in this BMJ article.

Content

The BMA has joined forces with the Long Covid Doctors for Action and they have set out five demands:

• Financial support for doctors and healthcare staff with post-acute covid.
• Post-acute covid to be recognised as an occupational disease in healthcare workers, with a definition that covers all the debilitating symptoms that people with post-acute covid experience.
• Improved access to physical and mental health services to aid comprehensive assessment, appropriate investigations, and treatment.
• Greater workplace protection for healthcare staff risking their lives for others.
• Better support for post-acute covid sufferers to return to work safely, including a flexible approach to the use of workplace adjustments.

You may also be interested in:

• The pandemic – questions around Government governance: a blog from David Osborn
• "Forgotten heroes" – the sequel: a blog and resources from David Osborn
• My experience of suspected 'Long COVID'
• How will NHS staff with Long Covid be supported?