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LOCOMOTION November 2022 Newsletter

Date

Recruitment to the LOCOMOTION Long COVID study reached 1629 in November!

Graph showing overall recruitment to the LOCOMOTION study between January 2022 and November 2022. Showing that recruitment has now reached 1629 participants.

Workstream (WS) Updates and Upcoming Work:

  • WS1.1 - The Patient Advisory Group conducted an audit of the Long COVID clinics. Results of this were discussed at a follow-up workshop. The results of this audit relate to WS1.1 work.
  • WS1.4 - Presented a ‘LC Vocational Rehab - Phase 1: Scoping and Development’ poster at the Occupational Therapy Show.
  • WS2.1 - Amendment approved by the Health Research Authority and a research ethics panel. The amendment enables recruitment via GP Practices and additional Long COVID clinics, and through social media promotion.
  • WS2.2 - Initial analysis to commence of data in the New Year, when a required number of subjects has been reached. Also, the Newcastle NHS site now using ELAROS in their clinic, which will help boost recruitment to this study task.
  • WS2.3 - This is a new ’task’ which has been added to LOCOMOTION study. ‘Healthy volunteers’ are needed to record their blood pressure and heart rate at several points during a single day. This will provide normal values for the ‘adapted Autonomic Profile’ (aAP) test. (Link to study info).
  • WS3.1 - Development of Minimum Data Set Template for Long COVID clinics is ongoing.
  • WS3.2 - Currently focussing on the development of their economic model. Also, getting Patient Advisory Group and broader stakeholder input into the structure of the model.

Patient Advisory Group (PAG) Update:

  • The PAG conducted an audit of the LOCOMOTION Long COVID clinics. Their aim was to understand clinic structures and procedures, assessments and tests conducted, and clinic constraints. The results generated priority recommendations for the LOCOMOTION team and suggested Quality Improvement Collaborative topics.
  • A PAG workshop was held in November, with study leads and representatives from the NHS sites, to review the audit results. In this workshop, a plan was agreed to focus on easy to implement recommendations that would have a quick impact on patients.

Patient and Clinician Feedback

  • The Leeds NHS site have being sending the NIHR's 'Participant in Research Experience Survey' (PRES) to their participants. They have received very positive responses!
  • Study management are encouraging other LOCOMOTION sites to implement the PRES to gain valuable feedback on participant’s experiences. In addition to seeking seeking feedback from their clinic staff to LOCOMOTION publications.
  • PRES results and feedback on publications will be added to the Clinician and Patient Feedback page.

November News:

  • Website Update - New website page ‘Scientific Presentations’, has been added to the website. Details of LOCOMOTION poster presentations and conference talks will be added here.
  • Long COVID Webinar - Clare Rayner (PAG Co-Chair) is speaking at Society of Occupational Medicine Webinar ‘Long COVID and Return to Work: What Works?’ Position Paper into Practice. Friday 9th Dec at 12:00-13:00.
  • The LOCOMOTION Team - We welcome Kumaran Balasundaram to the group. Who has joined the Leicester NHS Site as a Clinical Research Fellow on the study.