The ME Association (MEA) are delighted to offer a free booklet that explains the new NICE clinical guideline and how it will affect the service that people with ME/CFS can expect from the NHS and social care in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Free Booklet: An ME Association Summary of the New NICE Guideline for ME/CFS
January 6, 2022
The MEA state - the 28 page downloadable booklet features the main clinical recommendations from the guideline which we hope will be effectively implemented by healthcare providers as soon as possible. It has been written by Dr Charles Shepherd, Hon Medical Adviser to the ME Association and Member of the NICE guideline committee (2019 - 2021).
The MEA’s Introduction
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recently published a new clinical guideline about ME/CFS (NG206) for use by the NHS and social care services in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is also recognised in Scotland.
The ME Association is delighted that the guideline has been published and we fully support the recommendations that it contains. It has also been supported by the British Association of CFS/ME (BACME) - the organisation for health professionals who work in ME/CFS specialist services - and widely welcomed by the patient community.
People with ME/CFS had to live with a previous guideline that was unfit for purpose - because it recommended treatments that were often inappropriate, ineffective, or harmful. After a very thorough review of all the evidence - from clinical trials, experts, and patients - we now have a guideline that has properly recognised this complex medical condition and recommends improvements to the level of service that patients can expect from the NHS and social care services.
There will now be a period of implementation, which could take several years as we work collaboratively with colleagues in the NHS and social care to ensure positive change is brought to existing patient pathways and new services are introduced to help more people with ME/CFS.
Doctors for ME’s article
Putting it into Practice: What NICE ME/CFS means for GPs,
contents include -
NICE ME/CFS 2021: Q&A summary for GPs, Doctors for ME’s downloadable four page booklet you may find handy to give to your GP or health professional.
Topics in the four page Q&A summary include -
What is ME/CFS?
What are the symptoms of ME/CFS?
How is ME/CFS diagnosed?
How do we treat ME/CFS?
What about exercise and CBT?
There is nothing we can do for patients. Why diagnose ME/CFS at all?
So what DO we do, other than just energy management?
• M.E. Association • N.I.C.E.