Dr Harsha Master

Dr Master graduated from Imperial College, School of Medicine in 2003 with an academic interest in infectious disease, with a BSc in Infection and Immunity, completed in 2000.

She is a General Practitioner by background and completed her GP training in 2008.

Her previous role was GP Medical Lead in the Covid Rehab Assessment and Rehabilitation Service at Hertfordshire Community Trust, which was one of the first NHS clinics to be set up nationally in May 2020.

In response to need, she co-led and co-designed a new multidisciplinary team COVID-19 rehabilitation pathway, which evolved to deliver coordinated, holistic care, involving a combination of medical assessment and rehabilitation, across the community, primary care, and secondary care interface. She also established clinical and academic links across the UK, to develop her knowledge and learning on Long-Covid.

She was a Principal Investigator (PI) in the LOCOMOTION study – an NIHR funded research project looking to identify and provide guidance on the best way to treat and support patients with Long Covid.

She is now part of the Clinical Post Covid Society Leadership Team, a joint initiative between NHS England and the British Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, whose aim is to provide a professional network to help advance this field of medicine.

The most recent publication of the Office of National Statistics (ONS) estimates that there are over 2 million people in England experiencing symptoms following COVID-19. Most people experiencing Long Covid are of working age and symptoms of Long Covid can significantly impact their function and ability to work. Symptoms can include but are not limited to cough, breathlessness, chest tightness, palpitations, headaches, fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, muscle pains, smell and taste disturbances, depression, and anxiety.

As a medical professional seeing patients from the very start of the Covid-19 pandemic, she has huge experience in investigating ongoing unexplained symptoms and working within a multidisciplinary team. She also has an interest in dysautonomia including Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and Lifestyle Medicine.

Her role will include:

• Undertaking medical assessment & investigation, in order to identify or exclude serious ongoing pathology post Covid-19 infection
• Working within a multidisciplinary team, in order to coordinate further care or follow up as needed
• Keeping up to date with the latest research and providing evidenced based treatment and advice if needed