BLMK Post Covid Fatigue Service

The Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) Post Covid Fatigue Service (PCFS) is a specialist multi-disciplinary fatigue management service. We support adults aged 18 and over who are experiencing ongoing fatigue at least 12 weeks after contracting Covid-19.

We work in collaboration with our service users, to support them in understanding and improving management of their Post Covid Fatigue symptoms. The service aims to improve service user’s quality of life and work towards increased engagement in meaningful and valued activities.

Our experience tells us that providing dedicated time to understanding and making sense of our service users’ symptoms is an important part of recovery.

We work closely with the BLMK Post Covid Assessment Service (PCAS) and with GPs to ensure patients are receiving the most appropriate support for their needs.

The service offers treatment in line with current NICE Guidelines, which includes a tailored, multi-disciplinary approach consisting of Specialist Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Psychology.

The service also provides advice and consultation to other health professionals to assist them in the management of the symptoms of patients who are living with Post Covid Fatigue.

Address

Mountbatten House
56 High Street South
Dunstable
LU6 3HD
United Kingdom

Opening hours

8:30am-5pm Monday to Friday

Email address

elft.pcfs@nhs.net

Telephone number

Single Point of Access (SPOA) 0345 6024064

The PCFS team

Our team consist of:

Administrators
Specialist Occupational Therapists
Specialist Physiotherapists
Clinical and Health Psychologists
Assistant Psychologist

Maps and directions for our locations are below on this page.
This includes our main base Mountbatten House in Dunstable, our clinic in Kempston, the Enhanced Services Centre in Bedford, Water Eaton Health Centre in Milton Keynes, and Shefford Health Centre.
You can also find information on parking below.

If you have been struggling with ongoing symptoms for over 12 weeks following contracting Covid-19, please contact your GP and ask to be referred to the Post Covid Assessment Service (PCAS).
PCAS will conduct a medical review and will refer you to our service if we are the appropriate service for you.

Your Covid Recovery

Long Covid Physio

Post-Covid Assessment Service (PCAS) and wellbeing services

Post-Covid Assessment Service
This service consists of GPs, specialist nurses, a respiratory physiotherapist and care coordinator. It offers a specialist review of your health and can request advanced testing, and signpost to services tailored to your needs.

Luton Total Wellbeing Service
This free NHS service supports people living in Luton who want to improve their physical and emotional health.
Helpline: 0300 555 4152
Email: info@totalwellbeingluton.org.uk

Bedfordshire Wellbeing Service
This NHS service is available to people around Bedford and offers a range of free confidential talking therapies and specialist support to help you feel better.
Helpline: 01234 880400

Milton Keynes Talking Therapies Service
This service supports people living in MK. It is a free, confidential NHS service providing talking therapies for low mood or depression and anxiety difficulties.
Helpline: 01908 725099

Mountbatten House
56 High Street South, Dunstable, LU6 3HD
> Directions on Google Maps
Tel: 0345 602 4064

There is pay & display car parking at Ashton Square Car Park (5 minute walk), Matthew Street Car Park (5 minute walk), you can also pay at these via an app called ‘Just Park’. There is also parking at NCP The Quadrant Dunstable Car Park (6 minute walk).
There is a bus stop (S3) at the square, which is directly outside the building.
Service routes 40A, 40, 43, 231 and Route B stop at this site.
For details of public transport links please visit Public Transport Central Bedfordshire.

Shefford Health Centre
Robert Lucas Drive, Hitchin Road, Shefford SG17 5FS
> Directions on Google Maps
Tel: 0345 602 4064

There is parking available for all people attending appointments. This is at the health centre.
There is a bus stop on Robert Lucas Drive, which is located just outside Shefford Health Centre. For more information on Public Transport links please visit Public Transport Central Bedfordshire.
Upon arrival, you will need to sign in at the Bedfordshire Community Health Services reception, which will be on your right as you enter. You will be directed upstairs to the waiting room where the clinician will meet you.

Enhanced Services Centre (ESC)
3 Kimbolton Road, Bedford, MK40 2NT (Next to Gilbert Hitchcock House)
> Directions on Google Maps
Tel: 0345 602 4064
There is parking on site for service users at the front and side of the building. There are 8 blue badge spaces.
There is a nearby bus stop, 0.1 mile from the building (Bedford Hospital North Wing). This is shown by the yellow arrow on the map. The bus numbers include 7, 21, 28, 28A and 28E

Kempston Clinic
Halsey Rd, Kempston, MK42 8AU
> Directions on Google Maps
Tel: 01234 310333
Kempston Clinic is in Halsey Road which runs behind a small parade of shops on the main road through Kempston. Halsey Rd is on the right side of the road if coming from the direction of Bedford town centre and is just past Addison Howard Park.
Halsey Rd is a short road and Kempston Clinic is behind a high hedge between a school and a residential home.
Sat Nav Postcode is MK42 8AU
The clinic has its own free car park for service users.

Water Eaton Health Centre
Tel: 01908 371318
>Directions on Google Maps
Water Eaton Health Centre, Fern Grove, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 3HN

Water Eaton Health Centre has its own free car park for service users.
There is a bus Stop outside Sir Herbert Leon School, which is a 3-minute walk from the Water Eaton Health Centre, as shown on the diagram. Bus numbers 5, 6 and M6 stop here.

After receiving a referral from the Post Covid Assessment Service (PCAS), you will receive a registration pack from our administrator.

Once you have returned the registration pack, you will be invited to attend a 45- 60-minute individual assessment. This assessment can be in-person at Mountbatten House, Dunstable or remote via MS Teams, depending on your preference.

Once your assessment is booked, you will receive a pre-assessment questionnaire pack via email from our Assistant Psychologist. These questionnaires help us to further understand your symptoms and their impact on different areas of your life.

If you require any support in completing these questionnaires, our Assistant Psychologist would be happy to assist you over the phone.

One of our clinicians will conduct the assessment and you will be invited to tell us about the current symptoms you are experiencing. We will ask you how your symptoms are influencing different areas of your life including, work, social occasions, personal care, family and your mood.

Living with Post Covid Fatigue can be challenging. Therefore, we take an individualised and multi-disciplinary approach to treatment with our patients, which includes:
•    Developing your understanding of your fatigue; this includes recognising the barriers and factors that could be contributing and maintaining your fatigue
•    Providing an understanding of energy management. This includes, working with you on balancing your routine and activities including work, reducing difficulty of tasks where needed and understanding more about the physical impact of fatigue.
•    Improving sleep patterns and quality
•    Helping you to understand the impact of Post Covid Fatigue on short-term memory and to develop strategies to support your memory and thinking.
•    Reviewing your values and roles to help you achieve a better work life balance
•    Understanding physical activity, supporting with specific exercises or getting back into sports or physical hobbies
•    Managing emotional and psychological impact of Post Covid Fatigue, which may include acceptance of fatigue, identifying and overcoming barriers to making lifestyle changes, managing stress, worry, high standards or working on self-compassion.