Chamber and committees

I will stay with you for one final question, Dame Anna. What oversight has there been of how research funding across the UK has been allocated?

That is great.

I open up my next question to all the witnesses. If someone wants to answer, they can let me know by raising their hand, because, given that I am online, it is difficult for me to see who wants to answer.

Are you aware of any additional or on-going funding streams for long Covid research that could be utilised?

I know that we have run a bit over time but, if I may, I will ask a few more quick questions.

How is international research on long Covid being disseminated in Scotland? Dr Scott, you mentioned that issue.

Euan Dick, what level of research funding for long Covid is needed in the short to medium term?

We are continuing our inquiry into long Covid. I welcome Claire Jones, advanced clinical practitioner and long Covid therapy lead, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, who is joining us remotely from Wales. I hope my pronunciation is correct. I also welcome Dr Melissa Heightman, who is clinical lead in the post-Covid service at University College London Hospitals and the north central London respiratory network. Dr Heightman is also a national specialty adviser for the long Covid programme at NHS England. Dr David Strain, who is a senior clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter medical school, is the lead on long Covid at the British Medical Association and a member of the NHS long Covid task force and joins us online.

I thank all the witnesses for giving us their time. We estimate that the meeting will run until approximately 10.40 and that each committee member will have approximately 10 minutes for questions. Witnesses who are attending remotely and would like to respond to any issue that is being discussed should put an R in the chat box so that we can bring them in. I am keen to give everyone an opportunity to speak and apologise in advance for having to interrupt members or witnesses in the interests of brevity if time runs away from us.

I invite all the witnesses to briefly introduce themselves.

I call Alex Rowley.

Is that approach consistent in each county in England?

I am conscious of time and we have two members to go. Brian Whittle, would you like to come in?

I will begin the questions. The committee is very keen to see what work is being done on long Covid in the rest of the UK and what support has been put in place. Dr Heightman, how are long Covid services organised in England?

Are those who present with this form of Covid referred initially by their local general practitioner?