The Bishop of London received the following written answers on 20th July 2021:
The Lord Bishop of London asked Her Majesty’s Government, further to reports that long-COVID disproportionately affects women, what consideration they have given to the production of gender-sensitive guidelines for primary care professionals.
Lord Bethell (Con, Department of Health & Social Care): While we have not specifically considered gender sensitive guidelines, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing the long-term effects of COVID-19 for all health and care professionals. A copy of the guideline is attached.
‘Long’ COVID-19 is a new condition and our understanding of its impact on different demographic groups, as well as the best treatment options to pursue, is still developing. NHS England and NHS Improvement have committed to a health equity audit to assess equitable access, excellent experience and optimal outcomes for all communities.
The Lord Bishop of London asked Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to promote a multi-disciplinary approach to long-COVID in the NHS to ensure patients have access to joined-up care across multiple services.
Lord Bethell: NHS England published Long COVID: the NHS plan for 2021/22 on 15 June. Within the Plan, a multi-disciplinary care pathway is outlined as a principle of care for ‘long’ COVID-19, with the expectations that services must offer multidisciplinary, physical, cognitive, psychological and psychiatric assessments. The paediatric hubs also announced as part of the Plan will consist of multidisciplinary teams which can provide assessment services and remote support to other clinicians to ensure ongoing holistic support. The Plan also outlined that by mid-July, healthcare systems should provide fully staffed ‘long’ COVID-19 service plans covering the whole pathway from primary care through to specialist care using multidisciplinary teams. A copy of Long COVID: the NHS plan for 2021/22 is attached.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing the long-term effects of COVID-19, states that access to multidisciplinary services should be provided for assessing physical and mental health symptoms and carrying out further tests and investigations and that integrated, multidisciplinary rehabilitation services, based on local need and resources should also be provided. A copy of the guideline is attached [on Hansard].
The Church of England in Parliament 
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