COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing the long-term effects of COVID-19

Resource impact statement

The guideline covers the care of people who have signs and symptoms that develop during or following an infection consistent with COVID-19 and which continue for more than 4 weeks and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis.

It includes recommendations on; Identifying people with ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 or post-COVID-19 syndrome (also known as Long COVID); assessing people with new or ongoing symptoms after acute COVID-19; further investigations and referral; planning care for people with ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 or suspected post-COVID-19 syndrome; management; follow-up and monitoring of people with ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 or post-COVID-19 syndrome; sharing information and continuity of care; service organisation.

For England, NHS England and NHS Improvement have published commissioning guidance to assist local healthcare systems to establish post-COVID assessment clinics for patients experiencing long-term health effects following COVID-19 infection. 

Resource impact

NHS England has provided £10 million to support the assessment and management of the long-term effects of COVID-19. The exact geographic configuration of services was agreed with NHS England and NHS Improvement regional leads. Funding was allocated based on unweighted September 2020 GP registered populations by region. CCGs may use the NHS Standard Contract to commission specialist clinics.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have worked with NHSX, NHS Digital, and the Professional Records Standards Body (PRSB) to develop clinical coding to record post COVID-19 syndrome in clinical information systems. Local commissioners should put in place a system of capturing data which enables monitoring of patient volumes, follow up and outcomes and service evaluation.

Due to current uncertainty related to patient volumes, diagnostics, follow-up and outcomes, a resource impact template has not been produced to support the NICE guideline.