A NEW service has been launched to help people in Forth Valley deal with the long-term impact of Covid-19.

The Forth Valley Long Covid service provides a range of advice and specialist support to help people affected by ongoing symptoms.

This service will offer a range of one-to-one clinics and group sessions, allowing access to support from a wide range of healthcare professionals including a respiratory physiotherapist, a psychologist, dieticians, speech and language therapists and pharmacists.

Jennifer Ritchie, NHS Forth Valley’s long covid coordinator, said: “We have been working hard to introduce this new service which has been designed to reflect the latest clinical guidance as well as feedback from local people affected by long covid.

“We know that living with symptoms of long covid can be extremely challenging and we want to ensure that local people across Forth Valley have access to services they require to support their ongoing recovery and improve the quality of their lives.

“I would like to thank colleagues across NHS Forth Valley, our two local health and social care partnerships and members of the Falkirk Long Covid Support Group for their assistance in developing this important new service.”

People can be referred to the long covid support group via their local GP, practice nurse or other health care professionals involved in their care.

Suzanne Grant, a founding member of the Falkirk Long Covid Support Group, said: “We welcome the introduction of this new local service and look forward to continuing to work with local staff and to share feedback and suggestions on its ongoing rollout and development.

“I would urge anyone who is living with long covid to access the support available.”

More information can be found at nhsforthvalley.com/longcovid.