Rotherham has no long Covid clinic half a year after NHS promised it
The hospital trust says one will open "in the coming months"
Last updated 2nd Jun 2021
It's emerged Rotherham has no long Covid clinic, despite the NHS saying last year it was setting one up there.
The town's hospital trust is one of eleven in Yorkshire on a list published last December - but it told a Parliamentary committee it "does not run a long Covid clinic."
The assessment centres have been set up across England to help those dealing with the long term effects of the virus.
The trust in Rotherham tells us one will open "in the coming months."
Alex Sobel, a member of the All Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus, said:
“It is a disgrace that in some areas of Yorkshire people living with long Covid still do not have access to a clinic, despite reassurance from the government. Too many long Covid patients still feel like the forgotten victims of this pandemic.
“As we see here in Yorkshire, a patchwork of rehabilitation services has created a postcode lottery, leaving many still struggling to access the support they need.
"Those living with long Covid in our region deserve an explanation from the Health Secretary as to why there is still no help available in some areas, months on from when they were first promised."
What has the Rotherham NHS Trust had to say?
A spokesperson for The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust said:
“We are in the process of setting up and recruiting for a long Covid assessment service, which will open in the coming months.
“In the meantime, we have been continuing to care for people with long Covid through our respiratory clinics, aided by general practice colleagues and a social prescribing team to ensure patients are referred to the right place for their needs.”