Data from almost a million patient healthcare records show at least £23m extra bill for GP appointments 12 weeks after Covid diagnosis
Long COVID is estimated to have cost the UK at least an extra £23 million in GP and other primary care consultations each year, according to a new study.
The analysis of the economic impact of Long Covid, or Post COVID-19 Condition, has been published in BMC Primary Care, and considers more than 950,000 electronic healthcare records following the start of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
The research team led by the University of Birmingham and funded by a grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research and UKRI calculated that the additional cost for primary care consultations more than 12 weeks after a Covid-19 infection was £2.44, and that the impact of Long Covid may increase these costs significantly to £30 per patient diagnosed with Long COVID and £57 per patient for those with ongoing symptoms. The team conclude that the additional financial cost for primary care services associated with consultations across the UK could be over £23m per year.
These costs represent only a part of the overall increase in healthcare resources needed to support people with Long COVID
Dr Louise Jackson from the Health Economics Unit at the University of Birmingham and co-lead author of the study said:
“Covid-19 has led to a significant increase in the need for primary care services. As a result, the financial burden of people getting Long Covid is estimated to be between £23m and £60m per year in additional consultations from GPs, nurses, and other health practitioners.
“These costs represent only a part of the overall increase in healthcare resources needed to support people with Long COVID and should be considered in future pandemic planning.”
Some patients who are at greater risk of having Long Covid are more likely to need additional care, the study also found.
Other factors that were found to increase primary care costs among people at least 12 weeks after a Covid infection included:
Dr Shamil Haroon from the Institute of Applied Health Research at the University of Birmingham and co-lead author of the study said:
“We have tried to calculate how much we need to support people with Long Covid in our healthcare system, as we know that many people have ongoing health issues following an infection.
“Using data from the earliest parts of the pandemic, we have been able to look at a balanced sample size of those who have had Covid and those who hadn’t. These data show that the economic impact on primary care after Covid is not being felt equally in different communities and that access to care may vary among different parts of the population. We might expect that patients who are older or who have long-term health conditions will need additional primary care support, but we have also seen additional costs associated with being white and female.
“Long Covid as a condition also continues to be poorly understood and underdiagnosed. It’s very likely that additional consultation time and resources have been needed for patients with Long Covid who don’t have a formal diagnosis.”
About the National Institute for Health and Care Research
The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:
NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK Aid from the UK government.
Professor of Health Economics and Health Policy
Staff profile for Professor Louise Jackson who is an Professor in Health Economics Unit at the University of Birmingham
Associate Clinical Professor of Public Health
Staff profile for Shamil Haroon, Clinical Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham.
