ME/CFS Service Development Meeting 17/05/11

Negotiations are ongoing to secure a biomedical consultant. Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital have refused to provide clinical and administrative oversight for a ME/CFS Consultant:
“We do not provide and do not intend to provide a ME/CFS service”

NHS Norfolk will now explore options at other hospitals.
Work is ongoing to secure funding for Outreach Clinics in Suffolk. There is a lack of capacity within current staff and lack of trained staff.
There are now 5 locations from which the ME/CFS service is being delivered. The 18 week waiting target for appointments is not currently being met.
The Clinical Audit on the CFS/ME Change Questionnaire dated April 2011 was disseminated around the group and considered in conjunction with the ‘Quality Account’ for 2010/11. Some members of the group felt that these documents do not accurately reflect the current service.

Members of the group have been given the opportunity to comment on the draft needs assessment.
Liaison with social care, personal health plans and personal health budgets were also discussed.
For more details of the meeting see here