Post-COVID Assessment and Support Service (PCASS)

Although most people will recover following a COVID infection with time, some will continue to have symptoms lasting over 4 weeks, regardless of how unwell they were or whether they were hospitalised.

“Long COVID” is an informal term that is commonly used to describe signs and symptoms that continue or develop after an acute infection of COVID. Depending on how long you have ongoing symptoms for, it can be called one of 2 things:

• Ongoing symptomatic COVID - This is where your symptoms continue for more than 4 weeks. If your symptoms last for longer than 12 weeks, it will then be called;
• Post-COVID Syndrome - This is where your ongoing symptoms continue for longer than 12 weeks and cannot be explained by any other condition.

There is still uncertainty about the long-term effects of COVID infection, however we do know that Long COVID appears to be muti-system disease sometimes appearing after a relatively mild acute illness and the treatment requires a holistic, patient centred approach. Long COVID can present with clusters of symptoms, often overlapping, which can fluctuate and change over time and can affect any system in the body. It can have a significant effect on a person’s quality of life.

The Post-COVID Assessment and Support Service (PCASS) team consists of Allied Health Professionals, Nurses, Clinical Psychologists, Medical Advisor, Care Coordinators and Therapy Assistants.  We aim to provide a holistic virtual assessment, first-line advice, education on self-management strategies, and access to appropriate resources.

We promote a personalised care approach, putting you at the centre of your care through shared decision-making at every stage of the pathway.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with ongoing difficulties following confirmed or probable COVID-19 infection
• You must be medically stable with no acute symptoms and have received medical screening to rule out any other underlying causes of your symptoms
• You must be able and willing to engage in the service
• You must be registered to a GP surgery within Sussex
• You may have been hospitalised with COVID-19 or you may have managed your acute illness in the community – either way you can get support from PCASS.

How to access the service

• If you are concerned about any of your symptoms, contact your GP – they should offer you an initial consultation and provide access to any further assessments or care that they determine you need.
• If your GP thinks that you might have Long COVID, they will take a medical history and ask you some questions. They may also examine you and arrange for tests to be undertaken.
• After your assessment, your GP will talk to you about what they think is happening and discuss the support they think you need to help you get better. If appropriate, your GP will refer you to the Post COVID Assessment and Support Service.

My Long COVID Needs assessment tool

To help you understand your current Long COVID symptoms, your needs, what to do next and what help you can get, use the My Long COVID Needs assessment tool. It’s anonymous and takes approximately five to ten minutes to complete.

My Long COVID Needs is designed to help you when explaining your Long COVID symptoms to your GP. You might want to print out your answers after you've finished your assessment and take them with you to your GP appointment. Your GP will be able to read your results and advise you on what to do next. It could be helpful to share your results with other healthcare professionals treating you, or your employer too, so they can see what needs you have.