New long Covid study launched in Wales

A new study looking into the management of long Covid has launched in Wales.

The study will evaluate the effectiveness of a new self-management support programme, which has been designed in conjunction with people living with the condition.

Participants in the Long Covid Personalised Self-management support co-design and Evaluation (LISTEN) study will be randomly selected into two groups, one receiving the LISTEN support package, which will involve book and digital resources and up to six, one-to-one video or telephone call support sessions with Listen trained healthcare practitioners.

The other group will receive their usual care which could include physiotherapy or group sessions.

One of the people who helped design the Listen package was Rob Moffitt, 73 from Abergavenny, who has been involved in the design of the study over the past nine months.

Changed

Mr Moffitt said: “My life has definitely changed as a result of having Covid. When I walk the dogs, I used to walk them for about half an hour, morning and evening, for about three quarters of a mile.

Now I walk for 20 minutes just once a day, and we get about 400 yards.”

“It’s all about budgeting what little energy I have on a bad day.

“My condition goes up and down. When I have a bad cycle, I can be again extremely breathless. I don’t have the energy for anything.

“I have to contend with muscle and joint aches and pains and long periods of brain fog. I used to love to build and fly model aeroplanes, and gardening. I can’t do as much of the things I used to do now, sometimes nothing at all for weeks on end.

“I was reading other people’s stories, compared to mine they are absolutely horrendous, I have got off relatively lightly. I can see that a lot of the things that are happening to me are slowly resolving. but many other people found it frightening.

“When I learned about the study, I thought I would just like to try and get something positive out of it, help somebody else.”

Proud

Dr Nicola Williams, National Director of Support & Delivery at Health and Care Research Wales, said: “This is a study which can be conducted at home, with a dedicated focus to tackle the longer-term health challenges of Covid-19.

“The beauty of this trial is that it is conducted remotely so anyone across Wales could have access to this support package whether its rural Powys, Cardiff city centre or on Anglesey.

“We are proud to see researchers from Wales at the heart of this UK study as well as practitioners delivering this package, helping those living with long Covid in Wales.”

The LISTEN study is now open for recruitment. To take part in the study, visit www.listentrial.co.uk

The study is open to anyone over 18 who has been experiencing long Covid symptoms for 12 weeks or more.

People taking part in the study don’t need to have had a positive COVID-19 test but must have experienced one or more of the symptoms consistent with COVID-19, including ongoing fatigue, breathlessness, chest pain, “brain fog” or muscle pain.