P218 The needs of long COVID service users in hampshire and isle of wight ICS: a prospective mixed methods evaluation

Abstract

P218 Table 1The types of support people 1a) received or 1b) self-sought, 2) felt were essential, and 3) felt were desirable from the surveys, interviews, and focus groupsType of support* Examples Data source(I & FG: interviews and focus groups;S: survey) 1. a) Support people received Referred for or recommended by healthcare professionals: • ‘Your Covid recovery’ and ‘Living with’ app: https://www.yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk/https://www.livingwith.health/products/covid-recovery/ I & FG;S • Steps to wellbeing service https://www.steps2wellbeing.co.uk/ S • Local authority helpline S • Mental health (virtual/telephone/app) programmes and/or counselling (virtual and face-to-face) (iTalk;Talking Change;Talking Therapies;private counselling [unknown providers] and psychotherapy [including Physiotherapy mental health unit and Primary Care Mental Health team]) I & FG;S • Medical reviews (general practitioner;respiratory;cardiology;neurological [private and NHS];gastroenterology;rheumatology [private];dermatology;chronic fatigue) I & FG;S • Non-medical professional reviews (physiotherapy;occupational therapy;social services [including reablement];dietetics;speech and language therapy) I & FG;S • Specialist Long COVID service referrals (Hobbs Rehabilitation Clinic [private] and NHS) I & FG • Sleepio app (insomnia) https://www.sleepio.com/#howSleepioWorks I & FG • Fatigue management advice (pacing;boom-bust cycle) I & FG • Co-morbid condition support groups (stroke – unnamed group) I & FG • Occupational health services I & FG;S • Human Resources support (e.g., keeping workplace updated and workplace rehabilitation support) S • Research projects: Portsmouth Long COVID Study Coverscan research project including webinars: https://perspectum.com/news/perspectum-launches-the-first-covid-19-recovery-study S 1. b) Support people self-sought Self-sought and available: • Personal training/physiotherapy/exercising (unnamed sources) I & FG;S • Restorative yoga (unnamed sources) I & FG • Walking groups (unnamed sources) I & FG • Walking App (unnamed) S • Swimming/aqua aerobics (unnamed sources) I & FG • Chiropody (unnamed source) S • Massage S • Counselling (private) I & FG;S • Social media support groups and advice forums (e.g., Facebook Long COVID Support Forum;Facebook group for doctors with Long COVID [unnamed];Long COVID Instagram pages [unnamed])‘AbSent’: https://www.facebook.com/AbScent.org/https://www.facebook.com/groups/longcovid/ I & FG;S • ShutEye app (sleep quality monitoring)https://www.shuteye.ai/ I & FG • ZOE COVID app (symptom monitoring)https://covid.joinzoe.com/about I & FG;S • Gupta programmehttps://www.guptaprogram.com/ I & FG;S • YouTube and other online Long COVID bloggers and podcasters (some unnamed sources)GezMedinger: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCln_SCEd4JiGkHIUZd1VlXw I & FG;S • TV documentaries (unnamed source) S • Online/virtual exercise and stretching programmes (unnamed sources) I & FG • Support groups (for both the person living with Long COVID and their direct family members)https://www.vosuk.org/about-us/ I & FG • Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia information and advice (for both the person living with fatigue/post-exertional malaise and their family and friends) I & FG • Spiritual guidance S • Relaxation techniques (e.g., Yoga, Tai Chi, Mindfulness) S • Breathing classes S • Long Covid and ME/CFS Holistic Healing Summit 2021 S • Complementary therapies and remedies (herbal teas;oral tablets;vitamins;B12 injections;reflexology;acupuncture) I & FG;S • Voluntary servicesSolent MS therapy centre: https://solentmstc.org.uk/ Just About You Home Help (Age UK, Isle of Wight): https://www.ageuk.org.uk/isleofwight/our-services/just-about-you-home-help/ S 2) Support people felt were essential • Peer-support I & FG • Feedback from symptom diaries to better self-manage/understand triggers I & FG • Periodic follow-up with Long COVID specialists I & FG • Long COVID specific educati n/advice for: ▪ Reduced ability to conduct activities of daily living ▪ Exercise/physical activity/post-exertional malaise ▪ Fatigue management (including work activities/tasks) ▪ Navigating and applying for financial support available (inc. disability badges) ▪ Non-Long COVID specialist healthcare professionals ▪ Employers and colleagues ▪ Family and friends ▪ Stress management (and to deal with underlying stressors) ▪ Guilt management (and to deal with the underlying reasons for guilt) ▪ Grief management (and to deal with underlying reasons for grief) ▪ PTSD/fear management (and to deal with underlying reasons for PTSD) I & FG • Dealing with loneliness/social isolation I & FG • Wider connections with voluntary sector (e.g., Mind) I &FG;S 3) Support people felt were desirable • Education/resources for community managers and admins for online or social media peer support groups I & FG • Identifying/lobbying for ongoing local financial support like a Furlough scheme, but for those with Long COVID I & FG *This table reports the types of support reported by all participants, even if only reported by one participant, therefore this table is a representation of the collective experiences and may not be reflective of each individual participants experiences;this table is not in order of perceived level of importance for participants or in chronological order according to number of times reported;this table merges support offering and does not specifically distinguish support according formal NHS healthcare services, private healthcare, Human Resource services and voluntary sector support offerings, although this is included when known.ConclusionsThese findings corroborated recently published NICE recommendations for managing Long COVID and therefore provide further justification for rapid uptake of the NICE recommendations. These findings may also offer an adaptable model to effectively operationalise NICE recommendations going forward.