Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
ME/CFS is recognised as a long-term neurological condition by the World Health Organisation (WHO, ICD-11. 2023). It is recognised as a fluctuating condition, and people may have symptoms for several years before being diagnosed.
“ME/CFS is a condition defined by symptoms which are caused by dysregulation in multiple systems in the body including the immune system, the autonomic nervous system, the endocrine system and the metabolic systems” (BACME, 2022).
It can involve a wide range of symptoms that include overwhelming fatigue, post-exertional malaise, sleep disturbances and cognitive difficulties such as impaired concentration and problems with word finding. Symptoms can also include muscle and joint pains, headaches, dizziness and sensory sensitivities. The pattern and intensity of symptoms vary from person to person and can be unpredictable in their nature.
There may be periods of time where symptoms are better, but equally setbacks or relapses are a common part of ME/CFS.
What our service offers
The role of the service is focused on supporting patients to have a greater understanding of their fatigue and develop self-management strategies to improve their quality of life. Our assessment and interventions are holistic and patient centred. We provide an educational online group programme or a limited number of 1:1 sessions, in line with the NICE Guidelines for ME/CFS.
We also give advice for managing the condition in the workplace and provide information for friends / family / colleagues of people accessing our service.
Please note, at this time we are unable to offer a long-term service.
Our team
Our team consists of specialist occupational therapists and a health and wellbeing practitioner, who have many years of experience working with people with ME/CFS.
As well as working with people directly referred to the service, we also offer advice, support and training to other health and care professionals. We regularly update our own knowledge on research, developments and practice within this field.
We closely network with other services such as community therapy and nursing teams, the pain team and TalkWorks.
How to get support from our team
Please speak directly to your GP and request a referral to us via DRSS. Before making the referral, your GP will need to rule out other potential causes for your symptoms.
While waiting for the referral or an initial assessment with our service, you may find the sections below useful.
Useful resources for patients
ME/CFS service leaflet
Introductory handbook and activity diary exercise
First four chapters of our fatigue self-management handbook:
Information for healthcare professionals
- Referrals to our team are made via DRSS or directly by consultants via Epic (referral to “Community – CFS/ME”)
- Action for ME provides online information for healthcare professionals: https://www.actionforme.org.uk/support-others/for-healthcare-professionals/diagnosis/