Long COVID Service

We are an NHS service for adults (18 and above) living in the South Warwickshire area who have been adversely affected by Covid-19 for at least 4 weeks or more after their diagnosis.

We support people who struggle to carry out everyday activities because of the after-effects of Covid-19.

Long Covid-19 symptoms are wide ranging and fluctuating, and include fatigue, breathlessness, headaches, muscle aches, brain fog, and heart rate changes.

The team consists of a respiratory physiotherapist, dietitian, occupational therapist (OT), clinical psychologist, high intensity CBT therapist and medical support.

We have close links with GPs, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, George Elliot Hospital and University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire.

A period of support and guidance to help manage symptoms and daily life, including:

• fatigue management
• breathlessness management
• optimising rest and recovery
• cognitive strategies
• advice on self-care, e.g. sleep
• nutritional advice and support
• emotional well-being
• guidance about work, exercise, or other activities

Patients will receive a questionnaire to fill out before their initial telephone call to help us determine who they need to see within the Long Covid Team. This means we can ensure they are seeing the right people to help support them in managing their symptoms.

If a patient needs to be seen by 3 or more clinicians within the team, they will be booked into our Post Covid Multi-disciplinary Team Clinic.

The team will work with each individual to create a personalised self-management plan to address their main concerns and goals.

This plan will be reviewed and updated as appropriate. Treatment may be one to one or within a closed group.

People within South Warwickshire who are experiencing ongoing symptoms for 4 weeks or more after a Covid-19 diagnosis can be referred by a GP or other health professional.

Investigations to rule out other causes of symptoms should be completed by GPs before referral. This should include some blood tests and a chest x-ray 6 weeks after your initial Covid 19 symptoms started.

General information about Long Covid and Early support Groups

www.yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk

Great information resources for all patients with ongoing symptoms post-COVID-19

Long Covid animation for Patients: https://youtu.be/vAPH_CQKi4Q

Long Covid Animation for patients with subtitles: https://youtu.be/t75rjVMuQKk

Physiotherapy for breathing pattern disorders resources for physiotherapists here.

Has great leaflets and videos on how to re-train your breathing pattern which is sometimes altered post Covid. This has been very useful for many patients.

ENO Breathe | English National Opera

South Warwickshire Foundation Trust Long Covid Service is affiliated with ENO Breath programme (referral criteria apply, please discuss with your clinician).

Breathe Sing for Health in Warwickshire

Originally developed in partnership with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS respiratory team, Breathe Sing aims to improve lung health and help manage symptoms through physical warm-ups, vocal exercises and group singing

How to conserve your energy - RCOT

Post-Viral Fatigue - A Guide to Management

This guide by the British Association of Clinicians in ME/ CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) is very relevant to many people with acute Covid-19/ Long Covid. It provides guidance on how to manage fatigue/ activity levels from time of initial infection (or relapse) and beyond.

Fatigue and Post-Exertional Symptom Exacerbation

Many people with Long Covid experience crashes or symptom exacerbation after activity; ‘pushing through’ makes things worse rather than aiding recovery. Read more about post-exertional malaise and discuss with your clinician if this sounds relevant to you.

Improving Access to psychological Therapy (Iapt)

A service for people who are feeling stressed, anxious, low in mood or depressed.

Sleep advice:

Long COVID-19 & Sleep How can I improve it? Sarah Keith - YouTube

General advice:

Psychological Adjustment after COVID-19_Sarah Keith - YouTube

Peer support can be helpful by reducing the sense of isolation by talking to people with shared experiences. We help facilitate some peer support in the groups within the post-COVID service at SWFT.

COVID-19 Survivors Group UK - Self Help UK

Self Help UK is a chance to talk to others who have survived COVID-19 and had similar experiences.

Advice around healthy eating, eating if you’ve experienced weight loss or taste and smell change, can be found on the SWFT Dietetics page.

A simple one stop fact sheet about diet and Long Covid by the British Dietetic Association.

Long Covid and Diet: Food Fact Sheet.

If you have lost your sense of smell, this webpage has information around smell training techniques to try at home and has a ‘network’ which you can register for which offers a forum of mutual support. .

Fifth Sense is a charity for people affected by smell and taste disorders and has a specific webpage page dedicated to COVID-19 here. Their main website has information regarding taste and smell disorders, a community and smell training. It also has dedicated resources for young people and their parents.

Staying lightly active is important in preventing weakness and muscle loss. Gentle exercise/activity may be helpful for some people, but the amount and type of exercise can vary depending on the individual. If you are seeing physiotherapists they will be able to guide you in what to do. Keeping a diary can be helpful for you to see patterns in your routine and symptoms. An example is provided below:

Chartered Society for Physiotherapists – Covid-19 Road to recovery diary

https://www.csp.org.uk/media/1265833

Watch a video of Lizzie, a patient of South Warwickshire University NHS Trust's Long Covid-19 clinic who talks about her experience here.

Patient feedback:

"The main thing that I’d like to say about the Long COVID service is the very fact that it exists. I am most heartened to see that even in an age when there is immense pressure on NHS resources, SWFT have taken this seriously and pulled together a multi-disciplinary team. This alone has had a major impact on my well-being to know that my issues were being taken seriously. The triage element of the service – whereby concerns have been escalated and swift appointments made with appropriate departments has also been of great reassurance."