LC Check (Long Covid in NHS staff): demographic and social risk factors and the relationship with sickness absence 

Aims To investigate the risk factors for staff developing ‘Long Covid’ and predictors of taking sick leave as a result of Long Covid. 

What the research will involve:

We will use existing NHS CHECK data from the four waves of data collection (baseline, 6, 12, and 32 months) to analyse the characteristics and risk factors of HWCs who experience ‘Long Covid’, as defined by experiencing symptoms post-acute infection for 12 or more weeks. We will also explore the characteristics and risk factors of healthcare worker (HCWs) taking sickness absence as a result of Long Covid, using the NHS Human Resources definition of four consecutive weeks off work, constituting a long-term absence. 

What has the study found so far?

• One paper has been submitted (a narrative review of research about Long Covid, to the British Medical Bulletin) - this was an invited paper. One paper has been written and will be submitted shortly - we are awaiting completion of a companion piece that we hope will be published alongside the main paper, written by members of our patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) group about their experiences. One further paper has been drafted and will be sent to co-authors for comments in the next month. 

• Dr Brendan Dempsey presented initial results of the study at the Society of Occupational Medicine conference in Newcastle (June 2023). 

• We have submitted an abstract covering results of the analyses to date to the European Psychaitry Association (EPA) conference, which will be held in Switzerland (September 2024). 

Study Team and further Information: Dr Danielle Lamb, Dr Sharon Stevelink, Prof Ira Madan

Further information: d.lamb@ucl.ac.uk 

Funders: Colt Foundation