Summary
Long Covid is still a little understood condition, with patients having a variety of experiences and symptoms. The Living With Covid Recovery tool seeks to support discharged patients with their recovery and rehabilitation remotely at home, which is more timely and cost-effective.
"
The app was the beacon of hope I needed at the beginning of my recovery.
"
Rebecca, Long Covid patient
What the project involved
With Long Covid being such a varied and little understood condition, which affected so many, and with limited research and guidance available, devising effective treatment plans for patients of Long Covid had proven difficult. To address this problem, we spoke to hundreds of patients, gathering their real-life experiences. We asked them what they wanted and needed to feel supported and cared for as they navigated their Long Covid recovery.
Due to the difficulties in accessing primary care during the pandemic, it was decided that it would need to be a remote tool that allowed patients and their clinicians to interact and co-manage their rehabilitation together from a distance.
The rehabilitation tool targets primary symptoms that ‘long-haulers’ report experiencing for many weeks and even months after the peak of their infection – such as fatigue, anxiety and breathing problems. It combines evidence-based methods from physiotherapists, psychologists, dieticians and respiratory physicians to create bespoke treatment plans for each patient. The treatments and exercises used are all well established in the NHS and used to treat individual symptoms.
The project team has included UCLPartners, UCL, Barts Health NHS Trust, NIHR ARC North Thames, NIHR ARC Wessex, University of Southampton, University of Exeter and Living With.
UCLPartners’ role in the development of this tool has been in supporting adoption and spread of the programme. Living With Covid Recovery is currently supporting patients within the UCLPartners region at Barts Health NHS Trust.
Living With COVID Recovery – a patient’s view
Outcomes
Pilot studies at Barts NHS Trust showed the tool was not only having a positive effect on the recovery of patients, but was also helping NHS staff manage large caseloads efficiently and safely. The programme is also being rolled out across 30 NHS trusts for a total of 5,500 patients being supported in their recovery. The tool has also been nominated at multiple health award shows, such as the HSJ Partnership Awards and the AHSN Network and NHS Confederation Innovate Awards.
Pilot studies at Barts NHS Trust showed the tool was not only having a positive effect on the recovery of patients, but was also helping NHS staff manage large caseloads efficiently and safely. The programme is also being rolled out across 30 NHS trusts for a total of 5,500 patients being supported in their recovery. The tool has also been nominated at multiple health award shows, such as the HSJ Partnership Awards and the AHSN Network and NHS Confederation Innovate Awards.
