June 2024
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This conference discussed next steps for long COVID care and research in England.
Taking place following long COVID services transitioning from the national programme to ICBs in March 2023, delegates discussed priorities for developing effective long COVID commissioning, services and care pathways, as well as options for earlier diagnosis, population health approaches and tackling health inequalities.
It was an opportunity to examine progress made on The NHS plan for improving long COVID services, including next steps for assessment clinics, clinical education, rehabilitation, and improving access to innovative treatments.
The agenda brought out latest thinking on characteristics and risk factors associated with long COVID, and developing the role of patient experience in informing decision-making processes.
Sessions also assessed progress in long COVID research following investment in recent years, looking at priorities for building the evidence-base, and for advancing research and development of long COVID treatments, including next steps for the use of data and AI.
Further areas for discussion included addressing challenges with clinical trials and options for improving participant recruitment.
We are pleased to have been able to include keynote sessions with: Dr Melissa Heightman, Clinical Lead, Post-COVID Services, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Professor Paul Elliott, Chair, Epidemiology and Public Health Medicine, Imperial College London; and Dr David Strain, Senior Clinical Lecturer, University of Exeter.
Overall, areas for discussion included:
- Latest developments: assessing trends, key issues and progress - priorities from the long COVID plan - the role and impact of assessment clinics
- Care pathway for long COVID: the role of integrated care systems in commissioning and overseeing post-COVID services - utilising population health approaches
- Earlier diagnosis: evaluating access to services - tackling health inequalities - clinician education - improving service referral
- Living with long COVID: access to psychological therapies - self-management plans and peer support - rehabilitation and its impact on employment
- Clinical research: developing understanding of long COVID symptoms - addressing challenges in clinical trials - improving participation - building the evidence-base
- Data studies: understanding the prevalence of long COVID - use of big data studies to identify vulnerable populations - identifying and addressing health inequalities - the role of AI
- Innovative treatments: improving patient outcomes - prediction and prevention - applying latest developments in research - opportunities for advancing treatment development - potential for repurposing drugs approved for other conditions
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from DHSC; MHRA; UKHSA; UKSA; DLUHC; DWP; HM Treasury; NAO; The Scottish Government; and the Welsh Government.
