Herefordshire & Worcestershire Post Viral Fatigue Service for adults with ME/CFS & L/C. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long Covid).
NHS ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and LC (Long Covid) Specialist Services Update (May 2026).
Marina Townend, Service Lead/Specialist Occupational Therapist, Herefordshire & Worcestershire Post Viral Fatigue Service, shares updated news with the Worcestershire ME Social Group during ME Awareness Week (May 11 - 17).
I'm sorry I haven't managed to get along to any recently - unfortunately, your meetings have clashed with other things but I have the August date in my diary. Since I last provided an update, we have recruited a dietitian to join the wider multi-disciplinary team. Ines Canteiro starts next week and will be working with the service one day/week. She will, of course, need a good induction but we hope Ines will develop some resources for the service, run some workshops and offer some 1:1 input to patients in the future.
The new ME/CFS & LC team for the two counties, from May 2026, is:
Marina Townend (Service Lead/Specialist Occupational Therapist) full-time
Tabitha Richards (nurse and team lead) full-time
Dr Sarah-Jane Lowe (GP with a specialist interest) part-time
Rashmi Bansal (physiotherapist) full-time
Dr Helen Ayres (psychologist) part-time
Dr Mya Krishnan (psychologist) part-time
Sara Young (occupational therapist) full-time
Janet Piper (occupational therapist) part-time
Ceri Howell (therapy assistant) full-time
Ines Canteiro dietitian) part time
Kate Jewell (administrator) full-time Kirsti Barnes (administrator) part-time
We have also recruited several Participation Partners who work with us on a sessional basis. Our Participation Partners all have lived experience of ME/CFS and/or Long Covid, and have been through the service. They are joining our group sessions to talk about their experiences and what they have found helpful in managing symptoms. The Participation Partners add real value to the service and have received very positive feedback from attendees and staff who are facilitating the sessions.
There are now almost 560 patients in the service, all living across Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Ages range from 16 to 86, with varying levels in the severity of their symptoms. We continue to receive high rates of referrals (30-40 per month), which means that people are unfortunately having to wait longer for an assessment than we would like. Current waiting times are between 18 and 40 weeks, depending on who is the most appropriate practitioner to offer the initial appointment. Longest wait times are for those who don't currently have a diagnosis. Confirming that the information on the referral form is all correct still.
There is always so much going on in a busy service! I know things are rarely perfect, but it is pleasing that we continue to receive a lot of thanks and appreciation for the input we provide to people with ME/CFS/LC and their families and carers.
Just a note about the clash of diary dates you mentioned previously - we run our regular Ways to Wellbeing groups on a Wednesday morning, and the Recovery and Management group on the 1st Wednesday of alternate months. This is due to the working days of our part-time staff, to offer the most flexibility and avoid having to cancel groups if there is staff sickness, annual leave, etc. People would only attend a 9 week block of Ways to Wellbeing groups once so it shouldn't be an ongoing problem for them to attend the social group if they wanted to.
The Ways to Wellbeing groups have always been part of the Post Viral Fatigue Service. It is a 9-week programme focusing on a different symptom each week. Patients choose the relevant sessions, depending on the symptoms they experience. We do talk about the social group in the introductory session too, so I would like to think you might get
more people coming along after that!
Hoping for a successful ME Awareness week, with more people having a good understanding of the condition and how it impacts people.
Marina Townend
Service Lead/Specialist Occupational Therapist
Post Viral Fatigue service
Malvern Community Hospital, 185 Worcester Road, Malvern, WR14 1EX
Tel. 01684 612671
Pdf copy of this blog:
NHS ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and LC (Long Covid) Specialist Services Update (May 2026).
Marina Townend, Service Lead/Specialist Occupational Therapist, Herefordshire & Worcestershire Post Viral Fatigue Service, shares updated news with the Worcestershire ME Social Group during ME Awareness Week (May 11 - 17).
I'm sorry I haven't managed to get along to any recently - unfortunately, your meetings have clashed with other things but I have the August date in my diary. Since I last provided an update, we have recruited a dietitian to join the wider multi-disciplinary team. Ines Canteiro starts next week and will be working with the service one day/week. She will, of course, need a good induction but we hope Ines will develop some resources for the service, run some workshops and offer some 1:1 input to patients in the future.
The new ME/CFS & LC team for the two counties, from May 2026, is:
Marina Townend (Service Lead/Specialist Occupational Therapist) full-time
Tabitha Richards (nurse and team lead) full-time
Dr Sarah-Jane Lowe (GP with a specialist interest) part-time
Rashmi Bansal (physiotherapist) full-time
Dr Helen Ayres (psychologist) part-time
Dr Mya Krishnan (psychologist) part-time
Sara Young (occupational therapist) full-time
Janet Piper (occupational therapist) part-time
Ceri Howell (therapy assistant) full-time
Ines Canteiro dietitian) part time
Kate Jewell (administrator) full-time Kirsti Barnes (administrator) part-time
We have also recruited several Participation Partners who work with us on a sessional basis. Our Participation Partners all have lived experience of ME/CFS and/or Long Covid, and have been through the service. They are joining our group sessions to talk about their experiences and what they have found helpful in managing symptoms. The Participation Partners add real value to the service and have received very positive feedback from attendees and staff who are facilitating the sessions.
There are now almost 560 patients in the service, all living across Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Ages range from 16 to 86, with varying levels in the severity of their symptoms. We continue to receive high rates of referrals (30-40 per month), which means that people are unfortunately having to wait longer for an assessment than we would like. Current waiting times are between 18 and 40 weeks, depending on who is the most appropriate practitioner to offer the initial appointment. Longest wait times are for those who don't currently have a diagnosis. Confirming that the information on the referral form is all correct still.
There is always so much going on in a busy service! I know things are rarely perfect, but it is pleasing that we continue to receive a lot of thanks and appreciation for the input we provide to people with ME/CFS/LC and their families and carers.
Just a note about the clash of diary dates you mentioned previously - we run our regular Ways to Wellbeing groups on a Wednesday morning, and the Recovery and Management group on the 1st Wednesday of alternate months. This is due to the working days of our part-time staff, to offer the most flexibility and avoid having to cancel groups if there is staff sickness, annual leave, etc. People would only attend a 9 week block of Ways to Wellbeing groups once so it shouldn't be an ongoing problem for them to attend the social group if they wanted to.
The Ways to Wellbeing groups have always been part of the Post Viral Fatigue Service. It is a 9-week programme focusing on a different symptom each week. Patients choose the relevant sessions, depending on the symptoms they experience. We do talk about the social group in the introductory session too, so I would like to think you might get
more people coming along after that!
Hoping for a successful ME Awareness week, with more people having a good understanding of the condition and how it impacts people.
Marina Townend
Service Lead/Specialist Occupational Therapist
Post Viral Fatigue service
Malvern Community Hospital, 185 Worcester Road, Malvern, WR14 1EX
Tel. 01684 612671
Pdf copy of this blog:
| NHS 2026.05.10 LMDT update handout |
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