26 April 2022

A new Healthwatch report in North Central London (NCL) showcases the personal accounts from residents living with Long Covid.

The Healthwatch groups in Camden, Haringey, Islington, Barnet and Enfield teamed up to conduct the research following recent data from the Office for National Statistics, which shows an estimated 1.5 million people in the UK reported experiencing symptoms as of January 2022.

The groups spoke with over three hundred people with lived experience using online surveys, one-to-one interviews and community focus groups. This includes Maria – who was referred to CNWL in October 2021.

Maria’s Story

Maria was referred to the Community Covid Recovery Team at CNWL in late October, where she had her first appointment with our specialist Covid Recovery Occupational Therapist (OT). Maria was experiencing Long Covid symptoms for over six weeks, and she was struggling to manage her condition on her own.

In the report, she says: “My OT at CNWL was lovely. I’d nominate her for an award. She gave me tangible advice and helped me to adjust my thinking. It was a real coaching approach. CNWL was really helpful. It was the practical thing I needed.”

Maria was grateful for the support she got, but wishes her referrals came in sooner. She said: “The staff themselves were fantastic. If I could have gotten the CNWL referral earlier, then I could have gotten better sooner.”

Maria found the Living Well with Covid app to be helpful, and she liked how the platform included information about symptoms. She used the fatigue diary and questionnaires to track her progress, bringing this data to CNWL appointments so that she didn’t have to rely on memory (which was difficult with her brain fog).

Living With covid app

“It's a great app and it would have been great to have that virtual support while waiting for appointments to come through. The sooner people get access to that, the better. It was quite empowering. I’m entering this data for someone to look at and I’m being proactive about my own management.”

Click here to read the case study report

Support for post Covid recovery

  • CNWL has developed a leaflet on post COVID recovery. It provides information on how to help people manage ongoing physical symptoms and where to find support to manage feelings of anxiety, low mood or unpleasant memories since having COVID-19.
  • The NHS North West London webpage provides information on post-COVID syndrome (long COVID), including how to access local services, frequently asked questions and case studies.
  • The Royal College of Occupational Therapists website offers practical support for how to manage post viral fatigue after covid-19
  • Keeping Well NWL has a range of support available, including support groups for staff