Digital peer support for people with Long Covid

Location: Wales

The Mental Health Foundation and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) took peer support online to support people with Long Covid in North Wales. 

“I feel like I’m living life behind a pane of glass”. 

Feeling understood, feeling connected with others who share your experiences, and feeling validated are some of the many positive outcomes people gain from peer support groups. Peer support models are a well evidenced intervention, and the Mental Health Foundation has developed significant expertise in the development and delivery of peer support approaches. 

One of the strengths of peer support models is their adaptability. They are shaped by the participants to fit the reality of their lives. 

The Covid 19 pandemic disrupted everybody’s lives, having a devastating impact on many. For some groups of people the pandemic has left a lasting and enduring legacy of harm that continues to have an impact on a daily basis. One of these groups is people with Long Covid. 

As life started to return to normal for some people, people with Long Covid were having to adjust to a new normal.

“It’s almost like you are grieving for what you have lost. Normal has walked away from us. I feel robbed.”

Over 200,000 people in Wales had confirmed cases of Covid, and research suggests that 1 in 3 survivors go on to be diagnosed with a neurological or psychiatric condition within six months, including anxiety and depression.

In response to this urgent need, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) and the MHF partnered to develop and embed mental health support alongside interventions to improve the physical symptoms of people with Long Covid.

Using MHF's expertise, a peer support model was co-produced with BCUHB and people with Long Covid, to support and improve their mental health.  

An innovative digital peer support model was developed which reduced the barriers to participating for people living with Long Covid, and delivered improved outcomes for participants, with one participant describing the group as “a lifeline”.

The Digital Peer Support Model can be replicated and developed at scale and enables participants to be reached who would not be able to access in-person peer support groups. As well as developing, testing, and evidencing a model of Digital Peer Support for people with Long Covid, MHF also created a toolkit for BCUHB. The toolkit is being used to train and support BCUHB staff and partners to roll out and embed the Digital Peer Support model enabling the mental health of people with Long Covid to be improved along with their physical symptoms.

“I’m angry that I’m not the person I was 2 years ago. I’ve lost my job; had to move to a bungalow…Nobody understands unless you’ve had it.”

To find out more about developing digital peer support approaches take a look at the digital resources that were created, or get in touch at [email protected]

Toolkit

The digital peer support training toolkit

 An on-demand how-to guide for facilitators. 

Who is this resource aimed at? 

  • Organisations with an interest in designing supportive interventions for people with Long Term Health Conditions (LTHC)
  • Organisations with an interest in supporting people with Long Covid. 
  • People in organisations with an interest in setting up digital peer support groups.

Video length: 21 minutes

Adnoddau hyfforddiant cymorth cymheiriaid digidol

Canllaw 'ar alw'  i hwyluswyr.

Ar gyfer pwy mae’r  adnodd hwn?

Sefydliadau sydd â diddordeb mewn dylunio ymyriadau cefnogol ar gyfer pobl sydd â Chyflyrau Iechyd Tymor Hir. Sefydliadau sydd â diddordeb mewn cefnogi pobl sydd â Covid Hir. Pobl mewn sefydliadau sydd â diddordeb mewn sefydlu grwpiau cymorth cymheiriaid digidol.