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Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Care

Answer

People with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis/encephalopathy (CFS/ME) have access to the full range of health and social services support as outlined in the national service framework for long-term conditions (the NSF). This includes:"Joint health and social care plans that change over time and consider other needs such as housing, transport, benefits, education, careers advice, employment and leisure;Joint health and social care plans that change over time and consider other needs such as housing, transport, benefits, education, careers advice, employment and leisure;""Access to a broad range of services, including rehabilitation, equipment, accommodation and personal care to help people live as independently as possible at home; andAccess to a broad range of services, including rehabilitation, equipment, accommodation and personal care to help people live as independently as possible at home; and""Support to help people to work or take up other vocational opportunities.Support to help people to work or take up other vocational opportunities."The £8.5 million budget to establish new CFS/ME services has supported the development of 13 clinical network co-ordinating centres (CIMCCs) and 36 local multidisciplinary teams (LMDTs), as well as 11 specialist children and young people teams across England.The role of the LMDTs is to lead the development of services within primary and secondary care to support general practitioners and other relevant professionals in the care of the patient. In this respect, LMDTs are expected to develop networks of local domiciliary services, including health education and social services, to support those more severely affected, including those who are housebound and bed bound and are therefore unable to access services.Funding of CFS/ME services from 2006-07 is included within the resource allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs), PCTs have been informed that this funding would be included within their baseline allocations.Ministers and departmental officials regularly receive representations seeking dedicated funding for a range of specific diseases and conditions, including CFS/ME. These include a number of questions from Members, which appear in the Official Report, for example on 17 May 2006, column 1108W and 6 March 2006, column 1198W.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

72908; 446 c1878-9W;446 c1879-80W

Session

2005-06

Subjects

ME/CFS

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk