Launch of mobile outreach to improve access to vital respiratory tests supporting some of our most vulnerable residents 

In line with the priorities of the Mid and South Essex Health and Care Partnership, the MSE Community Collaborative have launched mobile clinics which identify and assess the effects of ‘long COVID’ using spirometry testing. 

This allows our clinicians and health workers to offer a ‘one-stop-shop-service’ to assist residents in the county that may have mobility issues, language barriers or live in more rural areas of the town who are unable to access testing at other sites. 

This builds on the success of the Essex Vax Van and evolves a previous partnership with Ford UK, to launch a similar outreach model, to help reach under-served groups to make sure they get the right care for breathlessness linked to long COVID. The launch has since triggered national coverage via the BBC and Sky News with interviews carried out with Heart FM and LBC.

Working together as part of the MSE Community Collaborative (EPUT, NELFT and Provide) means we have a better chance of using all our collective resources to innovate solutions together to benefit the people we are serving. 

Dr Sharon Hadley, Primary Care Respiratory Clinical Lead for Mid and South Essex Health and Care Partnership said:

“Many people are reporting ongoing breathing difficulties.  With a decline in spirometry testing during the pandemic, the diagnosis of conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is estimated to have fallen by half in the past year*, tens of thousands of people across the country could be living with the serious condition without knowing. 

In the same way that COVID-19 posed a greater threat to certain communities, we need to get out and find those most at risk and make sure people have the knowledge, care and treatment they need to avoid distressing trips to hospital and serious life limiting illness.” 

Special thanks to all staff working behind the scenes to make this happen. You can find out more about the project by visiting- https://www.msehealthandcarepartnership.co.uk/nhs-and-ford-partner-to-help-communities-assess-the-impact-of-long-covid-with-bespoke-mobile-clinic-transit-van/.