Overview
The Together Through Long COVID (TTLC) tool is a practice resource for Social Prescribing Link Workers (SPLWs) supporting people from ethnic minority backgrounds who are living with long COVID. It is designed to help link workers offer more effective and equitable support, with a particular focus on building trust, creating psychologically safe spaces, and embedding cultural appropriateness into appointments and care planning.
Why was this tool developed?
People from ethnic minority backgrounds living with long COVID in the UK frequently encounter healthcare that fails to meet their needs, with many reporting being dismissed, turned away, or denied adequate care. These barriers compound existing inequities, including racism, gender inequality, and financial hardship, which intersect to further limit access to support. The TTLC tool was created to help address these systemic barriers and improve access to long COVID-related care and services.
How was this tool developed?
The tool was co-produced using a Person-Based Approach across several stages: a literature review, patient and public involvement and engagement, and qualitative interviews exploring the barriers and facilitators to accessing care. Interviews were held with people living with long COVID from ethnic minority communities and with link workers and other supporting professionals. The interviews highlighted three factors that strongly shape how people with long COVID seek and receive care:
• Information and awareness gaps:
A clear understanding of long COVID (its symptoms, its fluctuating nature, and the long, rehabilitative path to recovery) helps people recognise when to seek care and what kind of care to seek. Limited awareness of available services further delayed access. Giving people practical, relevant information validates their experiences and helps them make informed decisions and set realistic expectations.
• The quality of interactions with healthcare professionals:
Interactions with healthcare professionals shape the care pathways people follow. Positive, respectful communication often led to timely referrals and better experiences, while dismissive interactions created barriers and discouraged people from seeking help. Improving provider communication and awareness of long COVID, especially in primary care, is crucial.
• The role of trusted community connectors:
Link workers, community champions, and peer networks were especially important for ethnic minority communities, acting as bridges to the healthcare system, building trust, and reducing stigma. They help overcome language barriers and deliver culturally appropriate care that respects people’s beliefs, practices, and expectations, supporting more equitable and sustainable access to services.
These findings shaped an initial prototype, which was then refined through a second round of feedback with participants drawn from the original group.
