Inquiry should include focus on long Covid, nursing body tells Swinney

Long Covid has “forever changed” the lives of many nursing staff who worked during the pandemic and should be looked at as part of the ongoing public inquiry, a body that represents Scottish nurses has said.

In a letter to First Minister John Swinney, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Scotland said the scope of the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry should be broadened to include the condition, which it says is affecting a growing number of registered nurses and nursing support workers.

It said many nursing staff were “likely” infected with Covid-19 while at work as a result of inadequate protection and the failure to recognise how the virus was spread, and many of them are now living with the “physical and emotional pain” of long Covid.

RCN Scotland has also asked for the inquiry’s cut-off date of December 31, 2022 to be removed in respect of long Covid, to allow emerging evidence on the causes and consequences of the condition to be considered as part of the process of learning lessons and preparing for future pandemics.

Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland director, said: “We know many nursing staff are currently living with the effects of long Covid. They continue to suffer physical and emotional pain, which is impacting on all aspects of their daily lives.

“For many, working on the front line of the pandemic to care for others has resulted in them sacrificing their own health. Their lives have been forever changed and they are grappling not only with the physical impact of this illness but also the long-term financial insecurity that comes with not being able to work.

“Many nursing staff were likely infected while working due to the lack of adequate protection and the failure and delay in recognising how the virus was spread.

“Our members want the inquiry to be able to hear about the long-term impact this illness is having and to ensure that lessons are learned. We’re calling on the First Minister to extend the scope of the Scottish Covid Inquiry and revise the terms of reference to ensure the full picture can be considered.”

According to RCN Scotland, an estimated 187,000 people in Scotland, or 3.5% of the population, have self-reported long Covid, which it says make the illness a significant public health concern that meets the public interest test for inclusion in the inquiry’s terms of reference.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Ministers believe that the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry terms of reference provide adequate breadth for the inquiry to consider the elements that came through strongly in our stakeholder engagement on setting up a public inquiry.

“We are giving careful consideration to the matters raised by the RCN in relation to the terms of reference.

“In setting the terms of reference, we sought to strike the right balance between addressing the wide range of questions people have, and making sure the work of the inquiry can be delivered at pace, in order that we can learn and benefit from lessons as early as possible”.