Lived experience of long term COVID-19 on NHS workers in health care settings in Scotland: a longitudinal mixed methods study

Many NHS workers have greater occupational risk of exposure to COVID-19 than the general population. UK studies found the risk of healthcare workers testing positive for COVID-19 was seven times higher than for non-essential workers. In Scotland healthcare workers and their households contributed to a sixth of cases admitted to hospital. This study aims to establish the nature and extent, and lived-experiences long COVID on the health and well-being on a self-identified cohort of professional and ancillary staff in NHS Scotland. We plan to use a longitudinal mixed methods approach, collecting data over a one-year period. A rapid review of the literature on the longer-term effects of COVID-19 will guide the development of an online questionnaire survey which will be used to examine self-reported health status, working lives, and other key factors in affected individuals. Subgroups of NHS workers will then be invited to take part in qualitative interviews designed to capture their narrative accounts of living with long COVID. Stakeholder workshops, where we will share emerging findings, will engage with occupational health and human services, professional bodies and training establishments. The findings will help to inform policy, practice and research recommendations, including NHS workforce planning needs.