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The role of occupational therapy after critical care
Merryn Turner talks about setting up a COVID critical care multidisciplinary team follow-up clinic during the first wave of the pandemic , before reflecting on the things the team learned from the experience
In June 2020 , occupational therapists were invited to attend a meeting to discuss potential involvement in a follow up multidisciplinary team clinic for survivors from our critical care unit at Manchester Royal Infirmary , Manchester University NHS Trust , who had suspected or confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 .
Other allied health professionals , including physiotherapists , dietitians and speech and language therapists , along with critical care follow-up nurses and intensive care unit consultants , were also invited to discuss setting up a pilot clinic .
This was on the guidance from the British Thoracic Society ( 2020 ), recommending that ‘ patients admitted to hospital care with diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia who required ICU [ intensive care ] or HDU [ high dependency ] admission were most likely to have experienced the most severe impact physiologically and would benefit from earlier clinical review to detect issues ( four to six weeks post discharge – remotely where feasible ) and offered face-to-face within 12 weeks post discharge , rather than a virtual review ’.
Due to resilience in the service and overwhelming acknowledgement that these survivors may have ongoing physical , cognitive and psychological needs , all professions agreed to commit to a five-week pilot clinic .
Main aims The aims of the pilot were to provide multidisciplinary support to discharged critical care COVID-19 patients and address , where possible , any ongoing needs , make appropriate onward referrals , and provide reassurance to this patient group .
40 OTnews October 2021