The head of NHS announced earlier this month that a ground-breaking online and on-demand rehabilitation service will be launched for people who are suffering from long-term effects of having the coronavirus.
As part of the service, physiotherapists and nurses will be available either online or over the phone to assist patients with any needs they might have.
The new service from the NHS is called “Your Covid Recovery”, and the plan is to have COVID-19 rehabilitation treatments made widely available for people who have survived the virus but still have complications like trouble breathing.
The announcement follows the completion of a new Seacole Rehabilitation Centre for those most effected by the virus, and there are plans to open more of these centres across the country. Face-to-face consultations will be made available to those who have been in hospital or have been at home suffering from the virus. Some of these consultations will be with nurses, doctors, therapists and other professionals who can assist in a convenient and safe way.
Those that will need the help will have a personalized package of aftercare offered to them lasting up to 3 months.
These services will include the following and many more:
- Online community support with others in similar positions
- A local clinical team who will help either online or over the phone including physiotherapists and nurses.
- Mental health support and exercise tutorials for mental and physical well-being
Sir Simon Stevens said: “COVID-19 has been the biggest challenge in the NHS’s history, and the fact that we have come through the first peak without services being overwhelmed and being able to give expert care to everyone who needed it, is testament all our frontline and support staff.
“Now, as we celebrate the birthday of the NHS and look ahead to the next phase of our response, while in-person care will continue to be vital, the health service is embracing the best that new technology can offer us to meet the significant level of new and ongoing need.
“Rolling out Your COVID Recovery, alongside expanding and strengthening community health and care services, is another example of how the NHS must bring the old and the new together to create better and more convenient services for patients.”
The amazing work the NHS did and continues doing in response to COVID-19 saved many lives and makes a huge difference to people who survive, but there is evidence to show that there are long-term health problems related to the virus. Some of the more serious effects are PTSD, reduced muscle function and breathing difficulties.
People will now be able to get the support they need through the online portal, helping them recover from the effects of the coronavirus. The online support will offer the assistance people need without having to go into medical centres for appointments, reducing any further stress they could experience.
There will be different phases launched, starting with advice and guidance about the latest information on how to fully recover from the virus. After assessment, people will then receive personalized packages specific to the care they need.
Only after patients have attended a face-to-face assessment will they receive the login details they need to login onto the service via their smartphone, tablet, smart TV or computer.
Printed materials will be made available for those that do not have access to the online services, making sure that the service is accessible to all and no one is excluded. Patients’ data will be accessed by rehabilitation professionals which will enable the best remote care and assistance.
Article source: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2020/07/nhs-to-launch-ground-breaking-online-covid-19-rehab-service/
Tracy is an Editor and Marketing Director who helps healthcare professionals and technology companies work together to digitise the UK healthcare system. After many years of helping award winning technology companies bring their innovations to the UK market she launched the Health Tech Digital resource platform which keeps healthcare professionals up to date with industry news and technology solutions for their establishments. Tracy is also the Marketing Director of Reborn Marketing Ltd and has worked with both private and public sectors focusing on technology in the UK for the past 7 years. If you have news you would like to share or would like to get in touch regarding your healthcare technology solution you can reach Tracy at tracy.williams@healthtechdigital.com.
