After discharge from an intensive care unit(ICU), over 50% of patients face significant physical, mental and cognitive problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a large cohort of these patients who will need follow-up services that can address their support needs.

The pandemic has highlighted long-standing issues of continuity of care and complex funding streams for post-ICU follow-up care. The large cohort of ICU patients admitted due to COVID-19 highlights the need for improved follow-up services and communication between specialists and GPs, not only for COVID-19 patients, but for all those discharged from ICU.

To identify follow-up services planned for COVID-19 patients discharged from ICU, and to explore the views of ICU staff and General Practitioners(GPs) regarding these patients future needs and care coordination.

Sequential mixed-methods UK study. We explored usual follow-up practice after ICU discharge and changes in follow-up during the pandemic through a survey of ICU staff, and GP awareness of follow-up and support needs of patients discharged from ICU through a survey of GPs. Through these surveys, we identified participants for semi-structured interviews with both groups.

We obtained 170 survey responses and conducted 23 interviews.

Over 60% of GPs were unaware of the follow-up services generally provided by their local hospitals, and whether or not these were functioning during the pandemic.

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