South West Long COVID Hub for children and young people
The South West long COVID hub for children and young people
offers multi-disciplinary assessments with advice and support for
children and young people with suspected long COVID. From Monday 25
April 2022, children and young people with suspected long COVID and
fatigue should be referred to the Paediatric Specialist Fatigue
Service at the Royal United Hospitals Bath. The team there will
assess the patients and refer on those who require MDT assessment
to the paediatric long COVID hub.
The paediatric long COVID hub for 2022-23 includes specialists
in paediatric neurology, cardiology, respiratory medicine,
infectious diseases, fatigue, general paediatrics and
psychology.
How to refer
Paediatricians
If you have a child or young person with persistent symptoms
lasting more than 12 weeks and you would like an assessment and
advice on treatment, then please make a referral to the Royal
United Hospitals (RUH) Bath Paediatric Specialist Fatigue Service,
who will complete an initial assessment of the patient and then
refer on to the hub as indicated. Please note that the Hub does not
provide treatment but will provide specialist advice to other
professionals via the RUH Paediatric Specialist Fatigue
Service.
For further information on the RUH Specialist Fatigue Service
please visit the service's website which can be found at: Specialist Treatment for Children & Young
People with Fatigue | Royal United Hospitals Bath
(ruh.nhs.uk)
GPs
If you are a GP, you can refer to your local paediatric service
for assessment and the assessing paediatrician can then refer to
the Bath Chronic Fatigue Service as per the new pathway if
indicated. If you are concerned about a delay to assessment, you
can refer directly to the fatigue service at the same time as
referring for local paediatric assessment. Children and young
people do need a local paediatrician as further investigations or
treatment may be necessary. Therefore, if you refer directly to the
Bath Chronic Fatigue Service please ALSO refer to your local
paediatric service.
Parents/careers
If you are a parent and you think your child has Long COVID,
please talk to your GP. You may find further information on long
COVID here: https://www.longcovidkids.org/
