Long Covid Groups call for Urgent Action as Inquiry Report Confirms Widespread and Ongoing Healthcare Failings | Press Release | March 2026
- Long Covid Kids
- 2 minutes ago
- 6 min read
The Long Covid groups are now calling on the Government and devolved administrations to urgently address the ongoing failures in care. They warn that Long Covid remains a significant public health challenge, affecting millions today with new cases emerging with each new wave.
Long Covid Groups call for Urgent Action as Inquiry Report Confirms Widespread and Ongoing Healthcare Failings | March 2026
LONDON, UK - Long Covid advocacy groups today responded to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 3 report on healthcare systems, saying its findings provide important validation for the experiences of the millions of people living with Long Covid.
However, the groups warned that many of the systemic issues identified in the report from the early years of the pandemic remain unresolved six years on, leaving large numbers of patients without adequate care or support.
The report confirms that:
During the initial stages of the pandemic, the UK’s healthcare systems were not
equipped to respond to long-term post-viral conditions.
Most Long Covid patients were not able to access treatments.
Many healthcare workers were exposed to significant risk, resulting in subsequent loss of lives and livelihoods.
The group are now calling on the Government and devolved administrations to urgently
address the ongoing failures in care. They warn that Long Covid remains a significant public health challenge, affecting millions today with new cases emerging with each new wave.
Validation of Patient Experiences
The Inquiry’s findings highlight several critical failings in the healthcare response to Long Covid:
The vast majority of adults and children living with Long Covid were unable to access appropriate treatment or support.
Few GPs felt adequately supported to diagnose or manage the condition, with many
patients reporting that their symptoms were dismissed.
Dedicated funding for Long Covid research ended in 2021, despite the continued
prevalence of the condition.
None of the four UK nations demonstrated an effective, coordinated response to
long-term post-viral illness.
Children and young people faced significant delays in recognition and extremely limited access to specialist care.
Long Covid continues to affect a significant number of people across the UK, with the latest ONS data showing over 2 million individuals are reporting ongoing symptoms (April 2024).
A Framework For Future Care
The report identifies several evidence-based interventions that advocacy groups believe must be prioritised to improve patient outcomes and system resilience:
Improving ventilation and implementing HEPA filtration across healthcare settings to prevent further transmission.
Expanding the use of ‘one-stop-shop’ Long Covid clinics, which the report identifies as both clinically effective and a cost-effective model for the NHS.
Ensuring future pandemic planning includes specific provisions for the long-term health impacts of viral outbreaks.
The Long Covid Groups also emphasise that further research funding is urgently needed, noting that the Inquiry’s findings add further weight to calls for sustained investment in Long Covid research.
Concerns Over Long-term Accountability to the Long Covid community
While welcoming the Inquiry’s recognition of the impact of Long Covid, the groups expressed concern that Long Covid does not feature in the Inquiry’s primary recommendations, the mechanisms most likely to drive Government action and accountability.
They are calling on policymakers to ensure that the needs of people living with Long Covid are fully reflected in future healthcare policy, and that the findings of the report are translated into meaningful change.
Nigel Rothband, Chair of Trustees, Long Covid Support, said:
“The Inquiry’s findings lay bare just how badly people with Long Covid were let down during the early years of the pandemic. It is unacceptable that, six years on, many are still unable to access the diagnosis, treatment and support they need. We must now move beyond acknowledging past mistakes and focus on building a healthcare system that properly responds to this condition.”
Garry Loftus, healthcare worker and volunteer for Long Covid SOS, said:
“This report underlines the cost of not investing seriously enough in Long Covid research. If that does not change, people will continue to be left without the diagnosis, treatment and support they need. Sustained, dedicated research investment is essential to improve careand develop effective treatments. As the report acknowledged: anyone who has had Covid-19 is at risk of developing Long Covid. We cannot afford to wait any longer.”
Sammie McFarland, CEO, Long Covid Kids, said:
The report highlights how children and young people with Long Covid were often overlooked, with delayed recognition and very limited access to care. For many families, this continues to have a profound impact on education, development and daily life, with many children still unable to access the care and support they need.
This acknowledgement must now translate into action. Children and young people cannot continue to be left behind, they need to be fully recognised and consistently supported across policy, research and services
Professor Mark Faghy, Board Member at Long Covid Physio, said:
“The report highlights the need to better protect healthcare staff in future pandemics. It should also be a reminder that many staff and their families are still living with the consequences of the Covid pandemic. We call on ministers to now formally recognise Long Covid as an occupational disease and ensure proper financial support for those who can no longer work.”
Notes to Editors
Long Covid Kids, Long Covid Physio, Long Covid SOS and Long Covid Support
are Core Participants in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry Module 3 report on Healthcare Systems was published on 19
March 2026
The Executive Summary states (p. 5):
○
“Long Covid is one of the direct long-term impacts of the virus. While the
symptoms vary, for some people Long Covid can be life-changing. During the
pandemic, there were concerns about the length of time taken for sufferers to
have their symptoms taken seriously and to be diagnosed. Access to healthcare
for Long Covid has been and remains variable across the four nations, with each
nation adopting its own approach about how best to provide care and treatment
for Long Covid. Although research into Long Covid continues, it has been
significantly scaled back while the need to develop a greater understanding of
Long Covid remains.
”
For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact: press@longcovidkids.org
ENDS
RECENT WORK BY LONG COVID KIDS
Over 1300 letters sent to politicians sent calling for support for children with Long Covid. Send your letter today.
Families, educators, clinicians and anyone who cares about children’s wellbeing are encouraged to take part and share the campaign.
Help us keep the pressure on
Campaigning, policy work and awareness do not happen by accident.
They happen because supporters like you make them possible.
If you believe children cannot afford another year of inaction, please consider making a donation today, or becoming a regular supporter so we can sustain this fight for the long term.
Long Covid Kids, the first and longest-serving charity dedicated to raising awareness of Long Covid in children, says the response demonstrates growing concern among families and clinicians that children with the condition are still not adequately reflected in policy, data and support services.
COVID Made Long
A dedicated group of peer collaborators and young people have been working alongside researchers to share their experiences, shape the direction of the project, and co-produce three resources that we are incredibly excited to now share with the world.
Three New Resources
Co-produced by young people affected by Long Covid.
A 3 part graphic series called ‘Long Covid Lives’ which highlights a range of experiences based on the lives of young people and their families living with Long Covid.
Long Covid: A Young Person’s Guide, which is an illustrated guide with practical information, case studies and tips and tricks about navigating Long Covid.
Living with Long Covid: A Young Person’s Glossary which helps to explain any medical terms used in the other resources. These are accompanied by descriptions from young people experiencing these symptoms.
Long Covid Kids and Friends is a UK-wide community representing children, young people and families affected by Long Covid and overlapping illnesses, including ME, PoTS, PANS and MCAS. We support 11,000 families whose children and young adults experience prolonged, fluctuating and often disabling symptoms following COVID-19 infection.
We are members of the Health Conditions In Schools Alliance and Overlapping Illness Alliance.
To read further blogs and information visit out website.
