Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether patients presenting with 'long-COVID' symptoms following (1) diagnosed, or (2) undiagnosed COVID-19, are recommended to participate in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme for medically unexplained symptoms.

Integrating working between mental health and physical health services is an important principle of the treatment and rehabilitation of people with ‘long’ COVID-19. The National Health Service is supporting the establishment of assessment clinics in England for patients with long COVID-19 symptoms who were diagnosed with the virus or who were undiagnosed but suspected of having had COVID-19. This will include specialist physical, cognitive or psychological assessment.

Following assessment, people with persistent mental health problems that involve depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder should be considered for a referral to an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service. Where appropriate, people can be referred to IAPT for long term conditions and medically unexplained symptoms service where they exist.