The final delivery plan on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), published in July 2025, includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for severe ME/CFS. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

The third and final session in NHS England’s newly-developed ME/CFS e-learning series, Managing Severe ME/CFS, is now live on the NHS Learning Hub. This session provides practical, evidence-based guidance for healthcare professionals to support people living with severe and very severe ME/CFS.

Additionally, as set out in the Plan for Change, we are committed to returning to the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment by March 2029. We exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra two million appointments, tests, and operations in our first year of government, having delivered 5.2 million additional appointments between July 2024 and June 2025. This will help people with severe ME/CFS to get support sooner.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out a transformed vision for elective care by 2035, where most interactions no longer take place in a hospital building, instead happening virtually or via neighbourhood services. We will empower patients by giving them greater choice and control and establishing expected standards for making their experience of planned NHS care as smooth, supportive and convenient as possible, including for people with severe ME/CFS.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines are evidence-based, informed by clinical expertise, and represent best practice. Healthcare professionals and integrated care board (ICB) commissioners are expected to take NICE guidelines fully into account when designing and delivering services, including for the diagnosis and treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). NHS England ensures that ICBs follow NICE guidance through a combination of statutory oversight frameworks, annual performance assessments, and local clinical governance requirements.

We published the final ME/CFS delivery plan in July 2025, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mecfs-the-final-delivery-plan

The plan focuses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease. It also sets out a series of actions, which will help address the key challenges and drive forward improvements to outcomes and quality of life for people living with ME/CFS in England.

Patient safety risks affecting people with severe and very severe myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), including malnutrition, have been considered during the development of the final delivery plan (FDP) published in July this year, through engagement with stakeholders, including clinicians and patient groups.

To this end, the FDP includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for very severe ME/CFS. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

On 6 November, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) jointly hosted a showcase event for post-acute infection conditions research, which included a review of the DecodeME research project and the PrecisionLife study on myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and long COVID research. PrecisionLife is leading on the LOCOME, or LOng COvid and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Diagnostics Stratification, project. The showcase event was attended by speakers from a range of disciplines, including researchers, people with lived experience, ME charities, NIHR and MRC representatives, as well as Government officials.

The Department is always very keen to reflect newly emerging research findings in its policy-making.

The Department of Health and Social Care is responsible for the overall delivery of the final delivery plan on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

To address the breadth of the ME/CFS research challenge, the NIHR and the Medical Research Council (MRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, play complementary roles in the United Kingdom landscape by funding research across the research system, with MRC funding aetiological and early-stage translational science and NIHR funding later stage translational and applied clinical work.

The NIHR and MRC are working together to deliver the research actions outlined in the ME/CFS final delivery plan that we published in July.

The commissioning of myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards, based on the needs of their local population.

The final delivery plan on ME/CFS, which we published in July, includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for very severe ME/CFS. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

Most of the actions included in the final delivery plan on myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which we published in July, will benefit all patients with ME/CFS, irrespective of condition severity. However, we are taking specific steps to ensure that patients with severe and very severe ME/CFS are not overlooked. For instance, the ME/CFS final delivery plan includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for very severe ME/CFS. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions of the e-learning programme are now available at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

The 10-Year Health Plan for the National Health Service also sets out a plan to shift healthcare from hospitals to the community, enabling people to feel supported managing their long-term conditions, including ME/CFS, closer to home. The Neighbourhood Health Service, delivered by new multidisciplinary teams of professionals, will support more services being delivered in the community, helping to create capacity within secondary services for those patients that need it. This will aim to help ensure that those who suffer from ME/CFS are able to live as independently as possible.

In July this year, we published the final delivery plan (FDP) for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which focuses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the FDP, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions of the e-learning programme, with sessions one and two having universal access, whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, are now available at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published guidance, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng206

It recommends that people with ME/CFS should be referred for a dietetic assessment by a dietician with a special interest in ME/CFS if they are losing weight and are at risk of malnutrition. The guidance also states that clinicians should recognise that symptoms of severe and very severe ME/CFS may mean that people are unable to eat and digest food easily, and may need support with hydration and nutrition. It suggests that managing this risk could include oral nutrition and enteral feeding.

The FDP includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for very severe ME/CFS. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

Residents of Ashfield with myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), are supported primarily through the Community Pain Management Service (CPMS), commissioned by the NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board for the mid Nottinghamshire area, which covers Mansfield and Ashfield and Newark and Sherwood.

The CPMS delivers a multi-disciplinary, community-based service for adults, those aged 16 years old and over, with chronic pain and/or ME/CFS. The service is designed to be accessible, equitable, and holistic, supporting both physical and psychological needs.

Ashfield residents can access the service at several local clinics, including Ashfield Health and Wellbeing Centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield, as well as other sites across mid Nottinghamshire, including Mansfield Community Hospital and Oak Tree Health Centre.

Referrals are accepted from general practitioners, musculoskeletal services, and hospital consultants. The service acts as a single point of access, ensuring streamlined and timely triage and assessment.

We published the final delivery plan (FDP) for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), on 22 July, which focuses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the FDP, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions, with sessions one and two having universal access, whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, of the e-learning programme are now available at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

The Medical Schools Council will promote the NHS England e-learning programme on ME/CFS to all United Kingdom medical schools and will encourage those medical schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience of ME/CFS. The General Medical Council (GMC) is the regulator of medical schools, and it is important that education is reenforced at different stages of medical training. Royal colleges play an important role in this. The GMC has included ME/CFS in the content map for the new national exam, so all medical schools will need to teach it as a subject.

As outlined in the FDP, we will improve awareness of ME/CFS by launching a public awareness initiative to promote wider awareness and understanding of the condition and support available to people with ME/CFS and their families.

DHSC will also engage stakeholders to discuss timely diagnosis and support for children who have ME/CFS and their families, as well as best practice in relation to safeguarding responsibilities. This will be taken forward in parallel with NHS England’s actions on ME/CFS services and neighbourhood multidisciplinary teams for children and young people.

Furthermore, as outlined in the FDP, the Department for Education is encouraging the sharing of ME/CFS-specific information with relevant organisations and promoting relevant training and resources to support children and young people.

We published the final delivery plan (FDP) for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), on 22 July, which focuses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the FDP, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions, with sessions one and two having universal access, whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, of the e-learning programme are now available at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

The Medical Schools Council will promote the NHS England e-learning programme on ME/CFS to all United Kingdom medical schools and will encourage those medical schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience of ME/CFS. The General Medical Council (GMC) is the regulator of medical schools, and it is important that education is reenforced at different stages of medical training. Royal colleges play an important role in this. The GMC has included ME/CFS in the content map for the new national exam, so all medical schools will need to teach it as a subject.

As outlined in the FDP, we will improve awareness of ME/CFS by launching a public awareness initiative to promote wider awareness and understanding of the condition and support available to people with ME/CFS and their families.

DHSC will also engage stakeholders to discuss timely diagnosis and support for children who have ME/CFS and their families, as well as best practice in relation to safeguarding responsibilities. This will be taken forward in parallel with NHS England’s actions on ME/CFS services and neighbourhood multidisciplinary teams for children and young people.

Furthermore, as outlined in the FDP, the Department for Education is encouraging the sharing of ME/CFS-specific information with relevant organisations and promoting relevant training and resources to support children and young people.

The Department recognises the significant challenges faced by individuals living with multiple complex conditions such as myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Our approach focuses on improving care coordination and access to appropriate services.

For ME/CFS, we have published a cross-Government final delivery plan, which sets out actions to boost research, improve professional education, and enhance support for daily living, including community-based services and better benefit assessments. While the plan is specific to ME/CFS, it acknowledges overlaps with other long-term conditions such as EDS and commits to exploring synergies during implementation.

Additionally, the 10-Year Health Plan aims to transform services and outcomes for people living with complex conditions such as EDS and ME/CFS by prioritising integrated, personalised care. The plan focuses on earlier diagnosis and promotes multidisciplinary teams and community-based services to deliver coordinated support closer to home, reducing reliance on hospital care. Digital innovations, including remote monitoring and personalised care planning, will help manage long-term conditions more effectively.

Guidance published by the National Institute for Care Excellence on the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, reference code NG206, does not recommend routine testing for conditions such as EDS as part of the diagnostic process for ME/CFS. The guideline makes clear that there is no single test for ME/CFS and diagnosis should be based on the clinical assessment of symptoms persisting for at least three months. It advises clinicians to carry out investigations only to rule out other possible causes of symptoms or to identify comorbidities that require separate management. Testing for other conditions, like EDS, should be considered if clinical features suggest their presence, rather than as a standard part of ME/CFS assessment.

The Department recognises the significant challenges faced by individuals living with multiple complex conditions such as myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Our approach focuses on improving care coordination and access to appropriate services.

For ME/CFS, we have published a cross-Government final delivery plan, which sets out actions to boost research, improve professional education, and enhance support for daily living, including community-based services and better benefit assessments. While the plan is specific to ME/CFS, it acknowledges overlaps with other long-term conditions such as EDS and commits to exploring synergies during implementation.

Additionally, the 10-Year Health Plan aims to transform services and outcomes for people living with complex conditions such as EDS and ME/CFS by prioritising integrated, personalised care. The plan focuses on earlier diagnosis and promotes multidisciplinary teams and community-based services to deliver coordinated support closer to home, reducing reliance on hospital care. Digital innovations, including remote monitoring and personalised care planning, will help manage long-term conditions more effectively.

Guidance published by the National Institute for Care Excellence on the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, reference code NG206, does not recommend routine testing for conditions such as EDS as part of the diagnostic process for ME/CFS. The guideline makes clear that there is no single test for ME/CFS and diagnosis should be based on the clinical assessment of symptoms persisting for at least three months. It advises clinicians to carry out investigations only to rule out other possible causes of symptoms or to identify comorbidities that require separate management. Testing for other conditions, like EDS, should be considered if clinical features suggest their presence, rather than as a standard part of ME/CFS assessment.

We published the myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), final delivery plan on 22 July 2025. The plan focusses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease, including those in the Surrey Heath constituency.

The ME/CFS final delivery plan includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for people with very severe ME/CFS across England. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

NHS England has also started its work on co-designing resources for systems to improve services for mild and moderate ME/CFS, including for patients in the Surrey Heath constituency. It will meet a group of key stakeholders to progress this in the coming weeks.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the final delivery plan, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions of the e-learning programme, with sessions one and two having universal access, whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, are now available at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

We published the myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), final delivery plan on 22 July 2025. The plan focusses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease, including those in the Surrey Heath constituency.

The ME/CFS final delivery plan includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for people with very severe ME/CFS across England. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

NHS England has also started its work on co-designing resources for systems to improve services for mild and moderate ME/CFS, including for patients in the Surrey Heath constituency. It will meet a group of key stakeholders to progress this in the coming weeks.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the final delivery plan, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions of the e-learning programme, with sessions one and two having universal access, whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, are now available at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

We published the myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), final delivery plan on 22 July 2025. The plan focusses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease, including those in the Surrey Heath constituency.

The ME/CFS final delivery plan includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for people with very severe ME/CFS across England. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

NHS England has also started its work on co-designing resources for systems to improve services for mild and moderate ME/CFS, including for patients in the Surrey Heath constituency. It will meet a group of key stakeholders to progress this in the coming weeks.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the final delivery plan, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions of the e-learning programme, with sessions one and two having universal access, whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, are now available at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

We published the myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), final delivery plan on 22 July 2025. The plan focusses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease, including those in South West London.

The ME/CFS final delivery plan includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for people with very severe ME/CFS across England. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

NHS England has also started its work on co-designing resources for systems to improve services for mild and moderate ME/CFS, including for patients in South West London. It will meet a group of key stakeholders to progress this in the coming weeks.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the final delivery plan, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions of the e-learning programme, with sessions one and two having universal access, whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, are now available at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

We published the myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), final delivery plan on 22 July 2025. The plan focusses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease, including those in South West London.

The ME/CFS final delivery plan includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for people with very severe ME/CFS across England. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

NHS England has also started its work on co-designing resources for systems to improve services for mild and moderate ME/CFS, including for patients in South West London. It will meet a group of key stakeholders to progress this in the coming weeks.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the final delivery plan, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions of the e-learning programme, with sessions one and two having universal access, whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, are now available at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

The Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Service is a specialist service which provides assessment and advice on myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), management strategies.

This service is available to adults and children. The ME/CFS service team consists of a wide range of skilled staff, including consultant clinical psychologists, assistant psychologists, specialist occupational therapists, and rehabilitation staff.

At a national level, the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan, which the Department published in July, includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for very severe ME/CFS. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

NHS England has also started its work on co-designing resources for systems to improve services for mild and moderate ME/CFS. It will meet a group of key stakeholders to progress this in the coming weeks.