COVID-19 Vocational Rehabilitation in a Multidisciplinary Neurological Service: A Descriptive Service Utilisation Study

Background The long-term effects of COVID-19 may negatively impact on the ability of people to work. People affected should be able to access vocational rehabilitation services that comprehensively meet their needs. Objective To describe the clinical needs of service users and the resources used in a neurological vocational rehabilitation service managing people suffering the long-term effects of COVID-19, providing data to inform future service planning. Method The medical records of patients with long-term effects of COVID-19 assessed in a neurological vocational rehabilitation service were retrospectively reviewed. Results Twenty-four patients with long COVID or neurological complications of COVID-19 were included in the evaluation. Fatigue and cognitive difficulties were the most common symptoms, both affecting 88% of patients. Most patients required multidisciplinary interventions including occupational therapy, neuropsychology, and medical review. On average, patients had 8.8 (range 1–28) follow-up appointments and remained in the service for 355 days (range 44–921). Conclusions This study describes the service utilisation of a neurological vocational rehabilitation service for people affected by COVID-19. It highlights the need for a multidisciplinary approach, with interventions often required over several months to years. This should be considered in the planning and commissioning of future vocational rehabilitation services.