Patients suffering with ‘long Covid’ can start to get support from specialist services, NHS England has announced.

Long covid is the term used to describe the long-term effects suffered beyond the initial illness of Covid-19.

NHS England said patient referrals to these new specialist services include those experiencing brain fog, anxiety, depression, breathlessness, fatigue and other debilitating symptoms.

People in east London and near Epping suffering with such symptoms now may be able to receive help from assessment centres at:

• Barts Health NHS Trust at Royal London Hospital and St Bartholomew’s Hospital

• King George Hospital

• Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Hundreds of patients are already receiving help from the 69 assessment centres that are taking referrals from GPs of people who could be battling long Covid.

Plans for some 43 clinics were previously announced by NHS England in November, which has provided £10 million for the network.

The specialist clinics bring together doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists to offer physical and psychological assessments and refer patients to the right treatment and rehabilitation services.

And latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has found that one in five people with coronavirus may go on to suffer long-term symptoms.

The data also indicates around 186,000 people suffer problems for up to 12 weeks.

Sir Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said: “The NHS is taking practical action to help patients suffering ongoing health issues as a result of coronavirus.

“Bringing expert clinicians together in these clinics will deliver an integrated approach to support patients to access vital rehabilitation, as well as helping develop a greater understanding of long Covid and its debilitating symptoms.”