Government Report - 12th May 2003

ME AWARENESS WEEK - THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES £8.5 MILLION FOR CFS/ME SERVICES

Health Minister Jacqui Smith, announced today a cash injection of £8.5 million for services specifically designed for people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). This money will develop clinical services where none currently exist.

The investment will pump prime service development by:

Establishing centres of expertise across the country to champion the development of services and improve clinical care.

Setting up satellite multidisciplinary community teams to develop services within primary care to support GP's and other health professionals.

Facilitating access to specialist assessment diagnosis and advice on clinical management to patients, families and health professionals.

Supporting clinical research.

Providing education and training of health care professionals.

Speaking at a Chronic Fatigue Unit in Essex, Jacqui Smith, said:

"In January 2002, we responded to the report of the independent working group on CFS/ME. We endorsed the view of the working group that CFS/ME is a debilitating and distressing condition, which affects people of all ages. This is an important step in the development of NHS services and means that we can start making improvements in the care and treatment of people with CFS/ME. The causes are still not fully understood and this investment will enable the NHS to set up centres of expertise to develop clinical care, support clinical research and expand education and training programmes for health care professionals.

We are setting up an implementation group to oversee the service development work. We are very pleased to announce that Professor Anthony Pinching, (Associate Dean for Cornwall, Peninsula Medical School and former Deputy Chair of CFS/ME Working Group) will chair this group. This is very good news for people with CFS/ME and their families.

As a first step, in July, health organisations will be invited to bid for development funds to set up specialist centres. These new centres will initially support local community teams to provide a broad spectrum of expertise and integrated care packages to people with CFS/ME."

Professor Anthony Pinching said:

"I am delighted to be able to help with implementing this essential new investment in services for people with CFS/ME. I am very keenly aware of the very large gaps in service provision for CFS/ME across the country, which leaves many patients, carers and frontline professionals without support or guidance.

We will ensure that appropriate new local services are established, supported effectively by larger centres with expertise and experience. As well as providing diagnosis and treatment, the new services would assist with professional training and could also create a valuable clinical research network.

I know that there are many areas where such services are already being planned, but where current commissioning funds are already fully committed. This very welcome additional funding will give local teams and patients the break that they desperately need."

Notes to Editors:

1. The £8.5 million will be released to the NHS from April 2004 and is for 2004 to 2006.

2. The Medical Research Council (MRC) published a research strategy for CFS/ME on the 1st May. This strategy will enable researchers and funders to develop research proposals on all aspects of this illness. The strategy was developed by an independent Research Advisory Group in response to a request from the chief medical officer for England. It was informed by contributions from patients, carers, charities, patient groups, researchers and clinicians via a consultation exercise in summer 2002. The MRC has also announced two initiatives in response to the strategy. One is a highlight notice to the research community welcoming high quality proposals across the entire spectrum of CFS/ME research. The other is a scientific meeting to discuss the potential for epidemiological studies in the UK.

3. The Independent Working Group's report into CFS/ME was published on the 11th January 2002.

4. Action for ME have been awarded a Department of Health grant, of £177,300 over the next three years, to support the development of clinical networks.

5. For media enquiries, please contact: Shima Islam, tel: 020 7210 5375 in the Department of Health Media Centre.

6. For public enquiries, please contact the Department of Health Public Enquiries Service on Tel: 020 7210 4850.