Long-COVID Service

Video

You are not alone - the Long-COVID service

Oxford Post-COVID Assessment Clinic

Long-COVID is a complicated condition that can come and go, change over time and affect both physical and mental wellbeing.

It has been defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as follows.

"Post COVID-19 condition is defined as the illness that occurs in people who have a history of probable or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection; usually within three months from the onset of COVID-19, with symptoms and effects that last for at least two months. The symptoms and effects of post COVID-19 condition cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis."

National Long-COVID management guidelines emphasise the importance of an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to care.

Our team of specialists takes a personalised approach, evaluating not only your symptoms but also the impact they have on your life, to determine the best treatments and symptom-control strategies to help you towards recovery.

Our clinic

Our service is integrated with Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust to provide assessment and rehabilitation strategies.

We aim to:

• evaluate your symptoms and ensure that alternative / additional causes have been considered: if there may be other explanations for your symptoms, we will arrange the necessary investigations
• provide treatments and/or ways to help you to manage your symptoms, for example advice on activity, breathing and managing psychological reactions to symptoms.

We will ask you to complete questionnaires about your symptoms and their impact on you.

We may ask you to complete further questionnaires to see how your symptoms change over time.

Our team

It is likely that two or three specialists will see you during your appointment.

Respiratory Medicine doctor

Many patients with Long-COVID struggle with breathlessness and can no longer exercise normally. Our doctor will evaluate the full extent of your symptoms and ensure there are no alternative explanations for your breathlessness.

This could involve a 'lung function' (breathing) test on the day of your appointment or a short while before or after. They may also arrange a chest X-ray or another scan if needed.

Rehabilitation and Sports and Exercise Medicine doctor

Complex symptoms associated with Long-COVID can impact your daily function and ability to work. Our specialist will explore the causes of your symptoms and work with other healthcare professionals on a plan to manage them.

Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist

Oxford Health has a team of healthcare professionals trained in breathlessness, fatigue and rehabilitation. A member of the team will help you establish recovery goals and strategies, including the management of breathlessness and fatigue.

Psychologist

Long-COVID affects people in different ways. Our Psychologist can work with you to identify psychological and behavioural strategies to help reduce the impact of your symptoms and improve your function and wellbeing.

Post-COVID Specialist Nurse

Our Post-COVID Specialist Nurse provides additional assessment and support, and helps to coordinate care within hospital and the community.

After your appointment

After your clinic appointment, we will write out a summary of the problems you have been experiencing, our initial assessment and a plan for what to do next.

This may include additional assessments or tests, a recommendation for specific treatment, practical advice, or activity and symptom management strategies.

Depending on your symptoms we may arrange onward care at one or more of the following.

• Community Post-COVID Team
  
• Additional investigations or referral to another specialist clinic
  
• Further review after a time interval at the Long-COVID clinic
  
• Ongoing support from your GP

Research

Our clinic is linked to ongoing research into Long-COVID, which will lead to a greater understanding into the condition and possible future treatments. If you are interested in participating in research, please let the team know at your appointment.

Being involved in research is entirely optional and will not affect your care. (Please also bear in mind that if you participate, your individual results may not be shared with you.)

Contact us

Appointment queries: 01865 225252

If we have seen you in the clinic and you have a query about your care, please contact the Post-COVID Specialist Nurse

Email: post.covid@ouh.nhs.uk

Resources

Oxford Health videos

Breathlessness after COVID-19: helpful techniques - Oxford Health YouTube

Fatigue after COVID-19: techniques to help manage and understand - Oxford Health YouTube

Links

Your Covid Recovery - NHS
Resources and support for managing Long-COVID.

abScent
A charity supporting people with loss or altered sense of smell, with resources and information about smell retraining.

Asthma and Lung UK - coronavirus and COVID-19
Information about Long COVID and support if you have an underlying respiratory condition.

English National Opera Breathe
An assessment and referral from a professional in clinic is needed for this programme.

Living With - Covid Recovery
We can request access to this app for you if you are interested.

Post COVID-19 patient information pack (pdf) - Oxford Health

Oxfordshire residents benefiting from integrated Long-COVID Service - article