Long Covid Scotland and Long Covid Kids warned of “inaction and broken promises”. 

Two Scottish charities have resigned from a Scottish Government group on tackling Long Covid, citing “inaction and broken promises”. 

Long Covid Scotland and Long Covid Kids have stepped back from the Scottish Government’s Strategic Network for the Long-Term Effects of Covid-19, claiming ministers have failed to deliver promised services, uphold policy commitments, or support patients.

The government has a £4.5million fund for people living with long Covid, but the charities say no money has been spent since it was announced, branding it “a symbol of inaction and broken promises”.

Public health minister Jenni Minto told STV News the government will “shortly be setting out” how the investment will provide specialist support across Scotland.

But the charities’ leaders said remaining was “no longer tenable”.

Jane Ormerod, chair of Long Covid Scotland, told STV News: “There has been no apology and no indication of how we move forward. Decisions about the money keep being delayed.

“We’ve had challenges being seen as equal partners, and communication has been poor throughout. Despite feeding back about many of these issues, little has been done. Trust has been lost.

“It makes me angry and disappointed that we’re not seeing much change from three, four, five years ago. Services are still not meeting people’s needs.”

An estimated 100,000 people in Scotland live with the effects of Long Covid. 

Helen Goss, Scottish lead for Long Covid Kids, told STV News their resignation from the government network was a last resort.

She said: “We entered 2025 with cautious optimism. Instead, six months on, we are forced to resign from a system that continues to fail the very people it was created to support.

“It wasn’t an easy decision because we’ve worked in good faith with the Scottish Government and national services for nearly five years.”

Public Health Minister Jenny Minto told STV News: “The Long Covid Strategic Network is managed by NHS National Services Scotland and has greatly benefited from these organisations and their important work. We regret this decision and remain committed to learning from the experiences of those with long Covid.

“We are working hard with NHS boards and will shortly be setting out how our new investment of £4.5m will deliver specialist support across Scotland for long Covid, ME, Chronic Fatigue and other similar conditions. This builds on the more than £9.4m already allocated through our £10m Long Covid Support Fund, with further allocations to follow later this financial year.”