Inside a Long COVID Clinic at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary

The Sunday Times approached experts at Newcastle Hospitals to observe and film one of its pioneering Long COVID clinics to see how the staff offer advice, support and reassurance for the hundreds of patients they see experiencing long terms symptoms and after effects from COVID.
Led by Dr Graham Burns, a respiratory consultant who set up the Newcastle Service as the first of its type in the UK and on which the national service specification was based. 83 similar clinics are now established nationally.
The patients benefit from a 'one-stop-shop' and are reviewed from a truly multi-disciplinary perspective, including: lung function tests, X-rays, a wide array of blood tests, physiotherapist, psychologist and physician assessment.
The clinic sees patients who are still symptomatic 3 months after their COVID illness whether they were initially managed in hospital or at home.
In its first year, the clinic has helped over 500 patients with many more waiting to be seen.