Written question asked by Peter Luff (Conservative) on Monday, 10 July 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 12 July 2006. It was answered by Ivan Lewis (Labour) on Friday, 14 July 2006 on behalf of the Department of Health.

ME/Chronic Fatigue

Question: (3) what assessment she has made of (a) the impact of any reduction in myalgic encephalomyelitis and encephalopathy (ME) services on the continued viability of whole service provision to people with ME and (b) the availability of other treatments by non-specialists to mitigate such reductions;

Answer: The national service framework for long-term conditions set out a clear vision of how health and social care organisations can improve the quality, consistency and responsiveness of their services and help improve the lives of people with neurological conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).Funding for specialist CFS/ME services is included in the baseline budgets for primary care trusts. No assessment of the impact of any restructuring of primary care trusts on the continued funding of these services has been made.There are no plans to reduce CFS/ME services, and hence no assessment of the impact of any hypothetical reduction in services has been made.We have made no assessment of the contribution made by specialist CFS/ME centres to the public and patient involvement initiative.

Secondary information