Jon thanks fellow CPFT staff who helped him recover from long Covid
A member of staff at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust has praised fellow colleagues for helping him recover from long covid.
Mental health liaison practitioner Jon Sheppard (pictured) has said the treatment he has had from the Trust’s Post-Covid Service has left him finally “feeling like me again”.
He was so thankful with the treatment he received, he’s now volunteering with the service, providing peer support and sharing his experiences with new patients referred to the service.
Jon first contracted coronavirus in October 2021 and, at first, believed he had quickly made a full recovery.
But just days later he began developing symptoms of fatigue, dizziness, and brain fog which would come and go without warning.
Married father-of-two Jon said: “It had a significant impact on my ability to work and on my home and social life. I worked full-time and I was keen runner and cyclist, but I went from someone who was fit and healthy to someone who couldn’t walk upstairs without stopping for breath.”
Jon visited his GP and was referred to the Post-Covid Service which is run by the Trust where he has worked since 2008.
After an initial assessment, staff at the service worked with him to examine ways to manage his fatigue and set goals related to his physical health and wellbeing.
He said: “Getting help from the Post-Covid Service was a real turning point. The team helped me identify realistic goals so that I could gradually increase my activity levels, while also making sure I took plenty of time to rest and recover.
“I found a group programme involving other people who have also experienced long Covid to be particularly beneficial. Talking with others helped me recognise I had a pattern of pushing myself too hard during my recovery, and then being overwhelmed by symptoms.
“It was also helpful to share my experiences with others who were having the same difficulties and to share tips on how to manage the symptoms.”
Jon works for CPFT’s Primary Care Mental Health Service, providing initial assessments to people referred for support from their GPs and sign-posting them to the most appropriate help and support.
Jon says it has been a long road to recovery, but with help from the Post-Covid Service he is now mostly symptom free.
He added: “My energy to live a full life has returned and I finally feel like me again.
“I had gone from clinician to patient, but I was very grateful for the help they had given me. After my discharge from the team, I decided to volunteer with them, and share my experiences with new patients. It’s proved a very rewarding thing to do.”
The Post-Covid Service was started in 2021 for people who are still suffering the effects of the virus months after falling ill.
The service’s multi-disciplinary team includes physiotherapists, occupational therapists, rehabilitation assistants, and peer support workers working in partnership with other experienced medical professionals including consultants and GPs.
The team offers a range of interventions, including fatigue management, exercise groups, respiratory advice and occupational therapy support.
Service manager Ade Kehinde said: “We are delighted for Jon and the progress he has made, and that he has been kind enough to find the time to volunteer with us and share his experiences to new patients who are referred to us.
“Just because he is an NHS professional did not make him immune to Covid, and I’m sure his story will give strength to many others in his position.
“I am very proud of our team’s work over the last three years. This was a new virus and there’s still much more everyone working in healthcare needs to learn and understand about the cause and treatments for those struggling with long-term effects.
“There are still people who need our help and support, and we will continue to do our best to help them on the path to recovery.”
To find out more about the Post-Covid Service run by CPFT, visit the Trust’s website.
CPFT employs more than 4,700 staff who provide community physical healthcare for older people and those with long-term conditions, mental healthcare for adults and young people, eating disorder services in Norfolk, health visiting and school nursing in Peterborough, social care services and learning disability support. The Trust is also renowned for its research work.
ENDS
For more information contact: communications@cpft.nhs.uk
