Over 290 healthcare workers, including nurses, are pursuing legal action against various English NHS trusts and Welsh health boards, alleging that they developed long Covid due to employer negligence.

The claimants assert that inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to their ongoing health issues and inability to return to full-time work.

Kevin Digby, a partner at GA Solicitors representing the group, emphasized the serious impact of long Covid on the claimants' lives and careers.

Rachel Hext, a nurse involved in the case, noted that many healthcare workers feel compelled to take legal action because there is no government compensation scheme for those suffering from long Covid.

A parliamentary report from March 2022 recommended that the UK Government establish a compensation scheme for frontline workers affected by long Covid, but no such scheme has been implemented.

Some claims have also been filed by relatives of healthcare workers who have died from complications related to Covid-19.

The group is represented by GA Solicitors and is seeking trial dates at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, aiming to advance their claims without further delays.

However, the defendants, including NHS trusts and health boards, have shown reluctance to proceed to trial while the UK Covid-19 Inquiry is ongoing, which could prolong the resolution for years.

Hext highlighted the ongoing struggles of healthcare workers who continue to contract Covid and develop long Covid, pointing out the lack of treatment and support available to them.

In October 2022, Hext initiated the Keyworker Petition Campaign, advocating for compensation and pension schemes for key workers affected by long Covid.