Long COVID Clinics

In reply to the Hon. J.S. LEE ().18 September 2025).

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Deputy Premier, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State): The Minister for Health and Wellbeing has advised:

The Royal Adelaide Hospital and Flinders Medical Centre's long COVID Clinics are funded by SA Health to provide multidisciplinary care to people living with persistent symptoms after COVID-19 infection.

The clinics are funded from within operating budgets and support specialist doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals who work together to provide assessment, symptom management and ongoing monitoring and support for the most complex cases.

The South Australian government has not undertaken any study of the impact of long COVID affecting employees of the public sector. However, the long COVID Clinics align their services with national guidelines and contribute to research efforts to ensure that care remains evidence-based and effective, contributing to local and national research to better understand long COVID and refine models of care.

Long COVID services are delivered across primary care, community rehabilitation, and hospital outpatient settings.

General practitioners (GPs) remain central to assessment and ongoing management in the community, supported by statewide clinical guidelines, referral pathways, and collaboration with specialists and allied health professionals.

Patients can access allied health services such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychology, and dietetics through community providers, including via Medicare-subsidised GP care plans.

Specialist Long COVID Assessment Clinics within the Central Adelaide and Southern Adelaide Local Health Networks provide multidisciplinary assessment and management for complex cases. These clinics support regional and remote patients through telehealth and direct liaison with local clinicians to facilitate care closer to home.

Where face-to-face assessment is required, eligible patients may access financial assistance for travel and accommodation through the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS).