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Government urged to recognise long-COVID as an occupational disease

Parliamentary group says failure to offer nurses support and compensation, and provide funding for research and treatment, will lead to more NHS tribunals and payouts
Rachel Hext, a nurse diagnosed with long-COVID, featured in a BBC Panorama programme on COVID payments being cut

Parliamentary group says failure to offer nurses support and compensation, and provide funding for research and treatment, will lead to more NHS tribunals and payouts

Rachel Hext, a nurse diagnosed with long-COVID, featured in a BBC Panorama programme on COVID payments being cut
Rachel Hext, a nurse diagnosed with long-COVID, featured in a BBC Panorama programme on COVID payments being cut. Picture: BBC

The government should recognise long-COVID as an occupational disease and set up a compensation scheme for nurses or face thousands of NHS tribunals, according to a parliamentary report.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Coronavirus has called on the government to reclassify the disease so that key workers who caught the virus at work during the pandemic can access support and compensation.

The group said the absence of government compensation for key workers, coupled with a lack of official guidance to employers, could have costly consequences for the NHS.

Special sick pay due to end in March

With tribunals already ruling in favour of staff, the APPG warned an increasing number of current and former NHS workers could claim that NHS trusts are unfairly dismissing or discriminating against them under the Equality Act 2010 when the COVID special pay scheme is scrapped on 1 March.

APPG vice chair Dan Poulter said: ‘It is crucial that the government moves to follow the sensible course already established in other countries by urgently recognising long-COVID as an occupational disease and increasing funding for research and treatment.’

Special sick pay for NHS staff was introduced during the pandemic to support those off work with COVID-19 or long-COVID. Those provisions were withdrawn in August 2022 but were available for a further six months for staff with longer service.

TV documentary talked to nurses with long-COVID

The report warns that the withdrawal of support could leave the NHS open to years of tribunals and payouts.

It follows a recent BBC Panorama investigation that exposed the experience of nurses, doctors and other health workers living with long-COVID and their fight to get support, treatment and reasonable adjustments at work.

The programme prompted a meeting between APPG chair Layla Moran and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to discuss the ‘moral case’ for making COVID-19 an occupational disease. According to the parliamentary group, more than 50 countries have already done the same, including France, Germany, Spain and Sweden.

‘It is vital that nurses are not let down again’

RCN head of health, safety and well-being Leona Cameron said: ‘This report makes a very clear case for the recognition of the impact of the pandemic on nursing staff and the need for COVID-19 to be recognised as an occupational disease.

‘Nursing staff were badly let down during the pandemic with inadequate PPE, poor access to testing, and guidance that was constantly changing and confusing. Now many are left battling the impact of long-COVID and it is vital they are not let down again.’

Ms Cameron urged the government to act on the recommendations of the report and provide proper support for nurses.

A Government spokesperson said: ‘We recognise that long-Covid has debilitating impacts on people’s physical and mental health and are backing our world-leading scientists with over £50 million to better understand the long-term effects of this virus and make treatments available.

‘We continue to support the NHS workforce with sickness absence, and NHS terms and conditions provide generous support for NHS staff with up to six months full pay and six months half pay, depending on length of service.’


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