Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to a report which advised the Board on the services available for patients with long Covid, and how those related to provisions for patients with chronic pain and fatigue.

The Board was advised that, according to research undertaken by the Office of National Statistics, around 1 in 10 people testing positive for Covid-19 exhibited symptoms for a period of 12 weeks or longer. 67% of GPs surveyed nationally reported that they were looking after patients with Covid-19 symptoms lasting longer than 12 weeks. A study by the Lancet published on 8^th January 2021 which looked at the long-term health consequences of Covid-19 patients discharged from hospital, identified that at 6 months after acute infection, Covid-19 survivors were mainly troubled with fatigue or muscle weakness, sleep difficulties, and anxiety or depression. Patients who were more severely ill during their hospital stay had more severely impaired pulmonary diffusion capacities and abnormal chest imaging manifestation and were the main target population for intervention of long-term recovery. The Lancet report added to the growing body of evidence that long Covid syndrome should be considered serious and is a long-term condition.

The Board noted that there was increased evidence that Covid-19 had a disproportionate impact on those in deprived populations and people in black and ethnic minority groups, exacerbating existing health inequalities. Of those people with persistent symptoms at 20 weeks, the current evidence suggested that the most common symptoms were fatigue (98%), breathlessness (87%), persistent cough (74%), headache (83%), fever (75%), chest pain (73%), muscle ache (88%) and joint pain (78%). However, a wide range of other symptoms were reported, affecting almost all body systems. It was noted that people with persistent symptoms often reported multiple different symptoms, which could relapse and remit over time.

The Board were advised that Long COVID Virtual assessment clinics covering Tier 3 assessment were set up at the end of January 2021. The Tier 4 service was in the process of being fully stood up across Greater Manchester. However, Oldham’s Tier 3 services have been able to access this since the end of September 2021. Under the pathway development, Tier 1 would cover self-management. Patients would be directed to the Your Covid recovery website and the GP Peer Support Group. Tier 2 covered all GP practices that had signed up to deliver the NHS Direct Enhances Services for Long Covid which included guidance on identification, assessment and appropriate investigations prior to referral. Tier 3 would cover the development of a post-acute Covid assessment clinic.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.