Kully Sidki has praised Coalville Community Hospital after recovering from Covid-19.

Mr Sidki, 44, a married father-of-two from Leicester, is continuing his recovery spent a total of eight weeks in three different hospitals - and was given a rousing round of applause when he was discharged from Coalville.

He said: "I got caught by the Covid virus, developed sepsis, and was quite critical for a while. I lost two-and-a-half stone, it affected my speech, and it left me confused. I can't recognise myself when I look in the mirror.

"I was admitted to the Leicester Royal Infirmary, spent four weeks in intensive care in the Glenfield Hospital, and then came to Coalville to get stronger.

"I'm feeling a lot better. The physiotherapy team here at Coalville are absolutely brilliant, they have got a talent to bring the best out of you.

"I am looking forward to going home, I haven't seen my wife and the kids for eight weeks.

"We are very lucky to have the NHS, I think the treatment I had has been absolutely first class."

Maria Warden, ward sister at Coalville, said: "We are the final link to get the patient home. A lot of patients have been lying in a bed for weeks, they have become de-conditioned, just sitting in a chair is a massive mountain for them to climb after what they have been through.

"Community hospitals are there to help them adapt, get back on their feet, understand what has happened to them, and show them and their families some compassion, and to plan further therapy and care for them when they continue their recovery at home.

"This has been a life-changing journey for many of them.

"The feeling when a patient goes home is amazing. It is what we became nurses for."

Christina Peart, physiotherapy clinical team lead, said: "Patients who come here having had Covid-19 have muscle wastage, fatigue, shortness of breath, and have less tolerance for exercise. We have spaced treatments out through the day so these patients can recover between each one.

"Kully was really motivated, it was really lovely to enable him to do things like going up the stairs.

"Our community colleagues will continue to support his rehabilitation at home."

So far LPT has cared for more than 180 Covid-positive patients