News from Scotland

Link to YouTube coverage of debate from @Adam pwme ' s twitter feed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibkzfhq6wdU

 

Transcript of ME Services debate in Scottish Parliament on February 2, 2023

https://www.parliament.scot/chamber...arliament-02-02-2023?meeting=14128&iob=127991

Video recording
https://www.scottishparliament.tv/m...me-services-and-future-action-february-2-2023

 

https://twitter.com/user/status/1623670990675800064

 

Highlands MSP calls for national guidelines on chronic fatigue syndrome

Highlands MSP calls for national guidelines on chronic fatigue syndrome (inverness-courier.co.uk)

 

Moved post

https://twitter.com/user/status/1633015253221908481

 

Question reference: S6W-15392

• Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
• Date lodged: 27 February 2023
• Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 March 2023
  

Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the announced £170 million for multi-disciplinary teams in NHS Scotland will be dedicated towards supporting people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

Answer
We are providing £170m to support the delivery of extended multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) making it easier for patients to see the right person, at the right time, in GP practices and the community.

Whilst the fund does not have direct provision to support living with myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), the reforms are focused on strengthening the whole general practice team for the benefit of all patients.

We have recruited 3,220 whole time equivalent (WTE) healthcare professionals, such as pharmacists, mental health workers and physiotherapists, into these MDTS. This is helping to refocus the role of the GP on patients with more complex conditions, in turn improving patient outcomes, community health and practice sustainability.

 

An article from the Police magazine regarding LC and the impact.

https://1919magazine.co.uk/march2023/?i=3

Last nights lead story on BBC was about LC.

There does seem to be people in Scotland wanting action. However, the problem might not be the political or cultural will but what actually happens when money or resources reach NHS Scotland.

 

only today came across this rapid response
Graded exercise therapy (GET) for people with chronic fatigue syndrome / myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME)

https://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/evidence/rapid_response/rapid_response_02-20.aspx

a section where they discuss the Cochrane review.
@Caroline Struthers

 

Post copied from LC in the media

Urgent action needed to tackle stigma around long Covid, report warns
An inquiry from the Covid-19 Recovery Committee outlined a raft of measures to raise awareness surrounding the condition

Ministers have been urged to establish a single point of contact for long Covid sufferers in every health board after a report called for an “urgent” end to the stigma surrounding the illness.

It comes after the Covid-19 Recovery Committee published its report on the illness, outlining a raft of measures for the Scottish Government to improve the condition and raise the awareness of it among healthcare professionals.

Hearing from from academics, clinicians and those living with long Covid, committee members noted “concern” as patients reported being unable to receive a correct diagnosis or proper treatment.

An estimated 172,000 people in Scotland have self-reported the condition, with an estimated 1.9m across the UK.

The four-month inquiry, launched in January, focused on awareness, recognition, therapy and rehabilitation.

It has led to a number of recommendations, including a single point of contact for long Covid in every health board and a public health campaign to raise awareness of the impact the condition can have on sufferers.

Jim Fairlie, committee convener, also said he was “deeply saddened” to learn of the stigma facing those with the debilitating condition.

He said: “The report sets out the urgent need for the Scottish Government to take action to address the stigma and lack of awareness surrounding long Covid and to improve the diagnosis and treatment for individuals living with this condition.

https://news.stv.tv/scotland/urgent...kle-stigma-around-long-covid-ministers-warned

 

Moved post

 

ME in Scotland: 'I've battled ME my entire adult life - the help is still not there'

full article
https://news.stv.tv/scotland/me-in-...ic-fatigue-condition-left-with-little-support

 

Good article but shame to see that STV have labelled it with "Mental Health" at the bottom.

 

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Services in Scotland: Findings from an analysis of surveys issued to NHS Boards in Autumn 2022
Published 16 May 2023

This report analyses survey responses from ten NHS Health Boards in Scotland to understand delivery of ME/CFS services, implementation of the updated ME/CFS NICE guidelines, barriers and opportunities to implementing the guidelines, and options for future ME/CFS service development.

disappointing start with the 'extreme tiredness' being the first symptom and linking to the NHS UK site.

PEM seems to be optional ('other symptoms may include').

https://www.gov.scot/publications/m...urveys-issued-nhs-boards-autumn-2022/pages/3/

I hope #MEAction Scotland are on this.