Recovery and rehabilitation during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: framework for supporting people

1. Foreword

Over the past months people across Scotland have had to come to terms with the impact of COVID-19 on every aspect of our lives. Some have faced and had to deal with the direct personal experience of ill health or loss of a loved one, everyone with the impact of lockdown restrictions and a daily life so very different from normal and for others, those at the greatest risk from this has been necessary to minimise the immediate harm and importantly to save lives, it has come with a cost.

Even as we begin to ease lockdown restrictions, we do it knowing that the virus hasn’t gone away. So we constantly try to strike the balance between lifting restrictions, safely re-mobilising our NHS services and maintaining our vigilance against any increase in virus spread or transmission.

And whilst our knowledge is by no means complete, we do know that the virus can leave long term health consequences, both physical and psychological, for many of those who contract it.

This Framework specifically focuses on the priorities and objectives for coronavirus (COVID-19) rehabilitation and is underpinned by principles to support planning to meet this increasing demand. It aims to build on good practice and capacity within the existing system and to explore innovative models, adopting a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency approach, to help us secure both timely and flexible delivery of care and support.

Together with partners and stakeholders across health and social care we want to see a whole system approach in a “Once for Scotland Rehabilitation Strategy”. A practical, accessible strategy to deliver quality rehabilitation to everyone who needs it.