Health and social care needs of people with Long Covid
Download (PDF 974.68 KB)Summary of report content
This report presents the lived experiences of people with Long COVID, identifying their ongoing symptoms and the response from health and social care services to meet their needs. It builds on the findings with recommendations to local health and social care service providers and commissioners.
Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and Self-Help UK were partially funded by the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network, to work with people who have Long COVID symptoms; and to develop their skills in survey design, analysis and report writing. The aim was to gather their experiences and report the findings to local health and social care service providers and commissioners.
A focus group was held in February 2021 with a small group of people experiencing Long COVID symptoms. The themes identified in the focus group shaped the question design of an online survey. HWNN gathered the views of 37 people from across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire in March 2021.
The findings are discussed in line with the common themes that members of the Facebook COVID-19
Survivor’s group identified and wanted to research. These themes included:
- Whether they were tested for COVID-19?
- Who they first contacted for treatment for COVID-19 and their experience of care?
- Whether they were hospitalised and their experience of care?
- The ongoing symptoms they are still experiencing.
- What support from health and social care would be helpful to meet their needs?
A total of seven people took part in the focus group, three of whom went onto to become volunteer researchers and attended the questionnaire design, analysis and report writing training and inputted into the design of the online survey. The survey was shared with members of the COVID-19 Survivors Facebook Group and more widely among statutory and voluntary organisations and the networks of Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and Self-Help UK. A total of 37 people responded to the online survey.
HWNN made a number of recommendations following this research.