Supporting nurses and midwives with Long Covid
Having Long Covid can sometimes feel overwhelming. Please remember you are not alone and there is always someone you can talk to.
Support on social media
There are several Long Covid Facebook groups that offer peer support and advice.
Many people with Long Covid have joined Facebook just to access this support. (Information about how to sign up for Facebook available here.)
Key groups are:
- Long Covid Support Group
- Long Covid support for health and social care professionals
- RCN Long Covid Peer Support Group (RCN members only)
- Long Covid Wales
- Long Covid Support Group Scotland
- Long Covid Support Group Northern Ireland
- Long Covid Doctors for Action (medics only)
Support is also available from the Long Covid Community on Twitter.
Support from the Samaritans
If you are having a difficult time and feel there is no one around to talk to remember that the Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you need to talk to someone please call the Samaritans on 116 123. There is someone there 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You can also email the Samaritans at: jo@samaritans.org – there is a 24 hour response time for this.
Please check the Samaritans website for other ways you can contact them.
If you are worried someone may be a risk please call the emergency services on 999 or NHS111/NHS24 for support.
Work-related advice
For work related advice, if you are in a union please contact them as early as possible. (See below for details about how to contact the RCN, UNISON and Unite.)
Many people seem reluctant to do so but it is important to have a union rep with you at formal work meetings – e.g. meetings to arrange a phased return to work; formal sickness absence meetings. (Additional advice for workplace meetings can be found here.)
Unions are unable to offer advice for issues that started before you were a member.
Your union may also offer free counselling sessions which can be helpful when dealing with a life changing illness like Long Covid.
If you are not in a union, ACAS may be able to offer advice.
Royal College of Nursing: Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) can access help here. The RCN also have an online Long Covid advice guide.
UNISON: Ways of accessing help from UNISON can be found here.
UNITE: UNITE can be contacted via this online form.