Search the hub
Showing results for tags 'Recovery'.
Found 385 results
-
Content ArticleCOVID-19 has been associated with new-onset cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus (DM), but it is not known whether COVID-19 has long-term impacts on cardiometabolic outcomes. This study from Rezell-Potts et al. aimed to determine whether the incidence of new DM and CVDs are increased over 12 months after COVID-19 compared with matched controls. The study found that CVD was increased early after COVID-19 mainly from pulmonary embolism, atrial arrhythmias, and venous thromboses. DM incidence remained elevated for at least 12 weeks following COVID-19 before declining. People without preexisting CVD or DM who suffer from COVID-19 do not appear to have a long-term increase in incidence of these conditions.
-
Content ArticleTwo years into the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear that gender differences exist, and that women, men, and gender minorities are differentially impacted by the pandemic.
-
News Article
NHS ‘shouting into the void’ with covid concerns
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
NHS leaders have sometimes been “shouting into the void” about their fears of the health service being overwhelmed by Covid because of the absence of a single national command centre for the pandemic response, a new report argues. The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change has published a report which recommends short and long term actions for dealing with Covid and future health emergencies. It says the government should have previously, and should now, set up “a national centre for response” to have overriding national responsibility for managing Covid and future crises. The government should also shift away from traditional methods of communication, to instead listen to “communities… beliefs and fears” about Covid, and adjust messages to respond to these. The report has been authored by the institute’s head of health Henry Dowlen, who was seconded to work on several pandemic projects such as a setting up a Nightingale Hospital and coordinating regional and national response work. He said that if government did not change course then the NHS, along with other services and parts of society, would remain in a “vicious cycle” of operational problems. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 20 July 2022 -
Content ArticleThe UK’s current strategy is outlined in its “Living with Covid-19” plan, which has three key pillars: vaccines, testing and treatment. In April 2022, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change undertook a critical analysis of this plan: what worked well, what didn’t, and what needed to change to manage Covid more effectively, and to protect society and the economy. The recommendations were incremental steps amounting to a responsible and proactive strategy. Unfortunately, as we see from the recent rapid rise in cases – most involving people who are being infected for the first time – as well as from the increasing hospitalisations and the rise in deaths, the strategy shows what living with Covid means in reality. To support the government, this paper sets out immediate and practical measures to safely guide the country through the latest Covid wave and to outline the longer-term shifts that will better prepare it for public-health emergency management in the future – including by restoring trust with the public.
-
Content ArticleToday may be the most difficult day the NHS has ever experienced. The headlines will focus on the pressures created by the heatwave and that most visible sign of healthcare failure – ambulances queuing outside hospitals. But, as we know all too well, this brutal situation is the culmination of many factors, which include but are not limited to prolonged periods of underfunding in the past decade, lack of an adequate workforce plan, and a cowardly and short-sighted failure to undertake social care reform, writes Dr Kamran Abbasi, editor of the BMJ, and HSJ editor, Alastair McLellan, in this joint editorial.
-
Content ArticleCOVID-19 is more likely to lead to Long COVID among persons of working age. In this paper, Darja Reuschke and Donald Houston outline the first estimates of the impact of Long Covid on employment in the UK. Using estimates of cumulative prevalence of Long Covid, activity-limiting Long COVID in the working-age population and of economic inactivity and job loss resulting from Long COVID, they provide evidence of the profound impact of Long COVID on national labour supply. Since the start of the pandemic, cumulatively 2.9 million people of working age (7% of the total) in the UK have had, or still have, Long ovid. This figure will continue to rise due to very high infection rates in the Omicron wave. Since the beginning of the pandemic, economic inactivity due to long-term sickness has risen by 120,900 among the working-age population, fuelling the UK’s current labour shortage. An estimated 80,000 people have left employment due to Long COVID. The authors argue that governments need to tackle the twin challenges to public health and labour supply and provide employment protection and financial support for individuals and firms affected by Long COVID.
-
Content ArticleAn analysis of data from nearly 154 000 US veterans with SARS-CoV-2 infection provides a grim preliminary answer to the question: What are COVID-19’s long-term cardiovascular outcomes? The study, published in Nature Medicine by researchers at the Veterans Affairs (VA) St Louis Health Care System, found that in the year after recovering from the illness’s acute phase, patients had increased risks of an array of cardiovascular problems, including abnormal heart rhythms, heart muscle inflammation, blood clots, strokes, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. What’s more, the heightened risks were evident even among those who weren’t hospitalised with acute COVID-19.
-
Content ArticleThis blog by doctors Clare Rayner and Amali Lokugamage argues that Long Covid rehabilitation needs a wider focus that goes beyond a purely biomedical paradigm to include complementary therapies and methods. The authors—who have both lived with Long Covid for more than two years—argue that although patients were the first to raise concerns about Long Covid, describe its symptoms and patterns and even research the condition, their narratives and voices are not being included in approaches to treatment. While the biomedical evidence surrounding Long Covid is currently limited, they highlight that there is much valuable lived-experience to be found in patient support and campaign groups, and that patients' knowledge should be drawn on to shape policy and guidance about the condition.
-
Content ArticleThere was a national roll out of ‘COVID Virtual Wards’ (CVW) during England's second COVID-19 wave (Autumn 2020 – Spring 2021). These services used remote pulse oximetry monitoring for COVID-19 patients following discharge from hospital. A key aim was to enable rapid detection of patient deterioration. It was anticipated that the services would support early discharge, reducing pressure on beds. This study from Georghiou et al. evaluated the impact of the CVW services on hospital activity. The study found no evidence of early discharges or changes in readmissions associated with the roll out of COVID Virtual Wards across England.
-
News ArticlePatients with long-lasting symptoms from Covid will have access to more convenient tests and checks closer to home, under new NHS measures announced. Specialist clinics, dedicated to Long Covid, will now be able to send people for tests at local one stop shops and mobile clinics, rather than people going back to their GP practice for multiple different tests. Backed by an additional £90 million investment, the updated Long Covid plan includes ambitions for all patients to have an initial assessment within six weeks to ensure they are diagnosed and treated quickly. Latest estimates from the ONS show that around 1.6 million people in England are experiencing ongoing COVID symptoms lasting more than four weeks, with around one in five saying it has a significant impact on their daily life. The plan, which has been developed with expert insights from patients, clinicians and partners across the health and care system, shows the NHS has already made significant progress on delivering the 10 commitments it set out for Long Covid services just over one year ago. This includes establishing a nationwide network of 90 specialist long COVID clinics, 14 hubs for children and young people and investment in training and guidance to support GP teams in managing the condition. Dr Kiren Collison, GP and chair of the NHS long COVID taskforce said: “Long COVID can be devastating for those living with it, and while we continue to learn more about this new condition, it’s important people know they’re not alone, and that the NHS is here for them. “In just under two years, the NHS has invested £224m to support people experiencing long term effects from COVID – from setting up specialist clinics, hubs for children, and an online recovery platform, to providing training for GP teams. “Today’s plan builds on this world-leading care, to ensure support is there for everyone who needs it, and that patients requiring specialist support can access care in a timely and more convenient way.” Read full story Source: NHS England, 28 July 2022
-
Content ArticleDr Harsha Master, Dr Ashish Chaudhry, Dr Nicholas Gall, Dr Louise Newson, Dr Sarah Glynne, and Dr Paul Glynne present their experiences of diagnosing, managing, and referring patients with long COVID and associated conditions. Read this article to learn more about: the definition, prevalence, and symptoms of long COVID exclusion of alternative diagnoses, and identification of red-flag symptoms the authors’ experiences of managing long COVID and its complications.
-
News Article
Possible link between blood clots and Covid symptoms investigated
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A possible link between blood clots and ongoing symptoms of Covid is under scrutiny by researchers in the UK. While Covid can cause a period of acute illness, it can also lead to longer-term problems. Research has suggested fewer than a third of patients who have ongoing Covid symptoms after being hospitalised with the disease feel fully recovered a year later. Now researchers are due to begin a number of trials to explore whether blood thinners may help those who have had the disease. Prof Ami Banerjee, of University College London, who is leading a study called Stimulate-ICP, said it was known that a Covid infection increases the risk of blood clots, and that people who have had the disease have a greater risk of related conditions including stroke, heart attacks and deep vein thrombosis. In addition, Banerjee said research from scientists in South Africa had suggested that people with long Covid have microclots in their blood, while studies in the UK suggested almost a third of long Covid patients have clotting abnormalities. But he said it was not clear if the findings were generalisable, and while there had been calls on social media for anticoagulants to be made available on the basis of such findings, further research was needed, not least as blood thinners can lead to an increased risk of bleeds. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 27 June 2022 -
News Article
Why so many Long Covid patients are reporting suicidal thoughts
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Last year, Diana Berrent—the founder of Survivor Corps, a US Long COVID support group—asked the group’s members if they’d ever had thoughts of suicide since developing Long Covid. About 18% of people who responded said they had, a number much higher than the 4% of the general US adult population that has experienced recent suicidal thoughts. A few weeks ago, Berrent posed the same question to current members of her group. This time, of the nearly 200 people who responded, 45% said they’d contemplated suicide. While her poll was small and informal, the results point to a serious problem. “People are suffering in a way that I don’t think the general public understands,” Berrent says. “Not only are people mourning the life that they thought they were going to have, they are in excruciating pain with no answers.” Long Covid, a chronic condition that affects millions of Americans who’ve had COVID-19, often looks nothing like acute COVID-19. Sufferers report more than 200 symptoms affecting nearly every part of the body, including the neurologic, cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems. The condition ranges in severity, but many so-called “long-haulers” are unable to work, go to school, or leave their homes with any sort of consistency. Long COVID can also be incredibly painful, and research has linked chronic physical pain to an increased risk of suicide. Nick Güthe has been trying to spread that message since his wife, Heidi Ferrer, died by suicide in 2021 after living with Long Covid symptoms for about a year. Among her most disruptive symptoms, Güthe says, were foot pain that prevented her from walking comfortably, tremors, and vibrating sensations in her chest that kept her from sleeping. “My wife didn’t kill herself because she was depressed,” Güthe says. “She killed herself because she was in excruciating physical pain.” Read full story Source: Time. 13 June 2022 -
Content ArticleThe Government’s aim throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been to protect the lives and livelihoods of citizens across the UK. This document sets out how the Government has and will continue to protect and support citizens by: enabling society and the economy to open up more quickly than many comparable countries; using vaccines; and supporting the NHS and social care sector. It also sets out how England will move into a new phase of managing COVID-19. The Devolved Administrations will each set out how they will manage this transition in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The global pandemic is not yet over and the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) is clear there is considerable uncertainty about the path that the pandemic will now take in the UK. This document therefore also sets out how the Government will ensure resilience, maintaining contingency capabilities to deal with a range of possible scenarios.
-
Content ArticleThe Pharmaceutical Journal speaks to formerly fit and well pharmacists and technicians whose lives have been devastated by Long Covid.
-
Content ArticleThe National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is funding a portfolio of research to improve our understanding of, and find treatments for, Long Covid. The NIHR’s 19 studies are trying to answer some of the most urgent questions.
-
News Article
Health boards not publicising Long Covid services, says expert
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Health boards are avoiding publicising their Long Covid services to avoid a rush of patients, an expert has claimed. Edward Duncan, a professor of applied health research, has been evaluating rehabilitation services in Scotland for the past eight months. The latest ONS figures showed 155,000 Scots had long lasting Covid symptoms. Prof Duncan said the current situation was contributing to a "trickle" of patients accessing treatment in some regions. He is working with Robert Gordon University, the University of Dundee and Long Covid sufferers to work out the best way to maximise recovery and quality of life for patients. It comes after patient groups accused the health service and government ministers of pretending the illness has disappeared. Prof Duncan said: "Staff in some health boards have said to us that they are purposely not publicising the pathway, because they fear that if they do, they will have so many referrals that they will not be able to meet demand." "There is a lack of proactive publicity, despite the fact that in late 2020 every health board said that these services were there for patients who need them." "We know from other research that patients are going to primary care and being told by their GP that they don't know where to send them." Read full story Source: BBC News, 14 June 2022 -
Content ArticleMore must be done to avoid harm to patients while waiting for treatment. The backlog for planned care is one of the biggest challenges for the NHS in Wales. Waiting times targets have not been met for many years. This backlog has been made much worse due to the pandemic. In February 2022, there were nearly 700,000 patients waiting for planned care, a 50% increase since February 2020. Over half of the people currently waiting have yet to receive their first outpatient appointment which means that they may not know what they’re suffering from and their care cannot be effectively prioritised. Modelling shows it could take up to seven years or more to return waiting lists to pre-pandemic levels. This report makes five recommendations based on what the Welsh Government needs to do as it implements its national plan.
-
News Article
Long Covid patients face lottery over treatment
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Patients with long Covid are facing a postcode lottery across the UK when it comes to getting care, nurses say. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said treatment varied hugely with some services treating it as a physical condition, but others as psychological. The union also highlighted long waits in parts of England, which has a network of specialist clinics. It warned that patients in Scotland and Wales may be missing out because of a lack of dedicated clinics. Speaking at the RCN's conference in Glasgow, nurses said they had seen first-hand how debilitating the symptoms could be. Nearly half of patients referred to specialist services are aged 35 to 54. Jo Strucke, a mental health nurse who works in a specialist service in Yorkshire, said: "Some of our patients have really complex physical health problems and their lives have been transformed. "They may be unable to work, socialise and do things they previously enjoyed." Helen Donovan, the RCN's public health lead, added: "As nursing staff we see first-hand how life-limiting long Covid can be." But she said: "There aren't enough specialist services to meet growing demand and the help patients get varies hugely across the country." Read full story Source: BBC News, 7 June 2022 -
News ArticleFew of the 23 million Americans with lingering symptoms are getting answers – in this dangerous void, alternative providers and wellness companies have created a cottage industry of Long Covid miracle cures. Some doctors ply controversial blood tests that claim to identify evidence of the elusive disease. Other practitioners speak assuredly about the benefits of skipping breakfast and undergoing ozone therapy, or how zinc can bring back loss of taste or smell. Some desperate patients have gone overseas for controversial stem cell therapy. Over the next seven years, the global complementary and alternative medicine industry is expected to quadruple in value; analysts cite alternative Covid therapies as a reason for growth. Robert McCann, a 44-year-old political strategist from Lansing, Michigan, sleeps for 15 hours – and when he wakes up, he still finds it impossible to get out of bed. Sometimes he wakes up so confused that he’s unsure what day it is. McCann tested positive for Covid in July 2020. He had mild symptoms that resolved within about a week. But a few months later, pain, general confusion and debilitating exhaustion returned and never fully left. He says he’s skeptical of “miracle cures”. But, after about 17 months of illness and no relief from doctor’s visits, he’s desperate. “I’ll just be frank,” he told me, “if someone has mentioned on the Subreddit that it’s helped them, I’ve probably bought it and tried it.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 2 June 2022
-
Content ArticleReturning to work as a nurse with Long Covid is thwart with difficulties in part due to its relapsing-remitting nature. Many nurses with Long Covid experience post-exertional malaise and symptom exacerbation if they push themselves and this may trigger a major relapse. This means that a return to work needs to be planned carefully. Dr Alison Twycross, Editor in Chief of Evidence-Based Nursing, speaks to two freelance consultants from Long Covid Work: Dr Clare Rayner, a consultant occupational physician, and Kirsty Stanley, Director, Occupational Therapist & Writer at Occupation4Life Ltd, about best practice in this context. They provide guidance for both employers and employees. Alison, Clare and Kirsty are also members of the Long Covid Support Employment Group.
-
Content ArticleFollowing the the COVID-19 virus, a new condition known as Long Covid has emerged. Find out what people told Healthwatch about their experiences of getting treatment for this new condition. Healthwatch looked at a sample of 122 people’s experiences, shared with them between September 2020 and March 2022, to explore what it is like for people seeking help with symptoms of Long Covid.
-
Content ArticleThe Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on patient safety, revealing a range of challenges across all healthcare systems, at all levels and in all settings. At the Health Plus Care conference on the 18 May 2022, Patient Safety Learning's CEO Helen Hughes, in a keynote speech, reflected on the impact of the pandemic on patient safety and work being undertaken by the World Health Organization to assess this. See attached her presentation slides.
-
News Article
Covid can cause ongoing damage to heart, lungs and kidneys, study finds
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Damage to the body’s organs including the lungs and kidneys is common in people who were admitted to hospital with Covid, with one in eight found to have heart inflammation, researchers have revealed. As the pandemic evolved, it became clear that some people who had Covid were being left with ongoing symptoms – a condition that has been called Long Covid. Previous studies have revealed that fewer than a third of patients who have ongoing Covid symptoms after being hospitalised with the disease feel fully recovered a year later, while some experts have warned Long Covid could result in a generation affected by disability. Now researchers tracking the progress of patients who were treated in hospital for Covid say they have found evidence the disease can take a toll on a range of organs. What’s more, they say the severity of ongoing symptoms appears to be linked to the severity of the Covid infection itself. “Even fit, healthy individuals can suffer severe Covid-19 illness and to avoid this, members of the public should take up the offer of vaccination,” said Prof Colin Berry, of the University of Glasgow, which led the CISCO-19 (Cardiac imaging in Sars coronavirus disease-19) study. “Our study provides objective evidence of abnormalities at one to two months post-Covid and these findings tie in with persisting symptoms at that time and the likelihood of ongoing health needs one year later,” Berry added. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 23 May 2022 -
News Article
Fears of Long Covid crisis as demand for rehabilitation services surges
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Health officials are calling for urgent intervention from the government to meet the steep surge in demand for occupational therapy in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to healthcare professionals from both the NHS and the private care system, demand for occupational-therapy-led rehabilitation services in Britain has increased by a staggering 82 per cent over the past six months alone. Swelling pressure on already “overloaded” rehabilitation services has stirred up stark warnings from members of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT), who say the level of demand for the service they provide “isn’t sustainable” as there isn’t a large enough workforce to meet the need. A revealing survey carried out by the college has raised grave questions about the prospect of providing timely rehabilitation for people recovering from short and long-term illnesses who need urgent support to enable them to carry out their daily activities. The survey of of 550 occupational therapists working in the UK found that 84 per cent are now supporting people whose needs have become more complex because of delays in treatment brought about by the pandemic. As a result of this, coupled with a wider increase in the number of people requiring help, 71 per cent of the RCOT’s respondents felt there were not enough occupational therapists to meet the demand. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Independent, 22 May 2022
