The Grace Charity for M.E.: Letter from NHS Digital (Data Co-Ordination Board)

A letter sent to The Grace Charity for M.E. (www.thegracecharityforme.org) from NHS Digital (Data Co-Ordination Board) confirms that the NHS still mandates ME as a neurological illness –

see https://www.thegracecharityforme.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Myalgic-Encephalomyelitis_letter.pdf

 

See also:

Copy available on my site here:

https://dxrevisionwatch.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/national_coding_standards_2018.pdf


NHS Digital National Clinical Coding Standards ICD-10 5th Edition (2018)

Accurate data for quality information

Terminology and Classifications Delivery Service


Page 84:

"Caution is required when ‘fatigue syndrome’ is used as a diagnosis within the medical record. The Alphabetical Index takes the coder to F48.0 Neurasthenia which includes fatigue syndrome. However many patients actually have chronic fatigue syndrome, which is an alternative name for the postviral fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). Chronic fatigue syndrome is coded to G93.3 Postviral fatigue syndrome. Coders should therefore clarify the nature of the fatigue with the responsible consultant before assigning a code."



Edited to insert link for PDF:

Copy available on my site here:

https://dxrevisionwatch.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/national_coding_standards_2018.pdf

(The 2019 edition doesn't appear to be a public domain document yet but it can be downloaded by those with password access to NHS Digital's Delen platform.)

 

But in practice it is strictly treated as a mental health disorder of trivial consequences, a temporary slight that can be fixed with happy thoughts because "there is no disease". Not just "there is no neurological disease" but "there is no disease at all".

It does not matter what the words say if practice directly and explicitly contradicts them. This is dereliction of duty. Experts are allowed their opinions, not their own facts. There are actual legal obligations involved with being in a position of authority and those are being willfully ignored.

So that is the question that needs to be pressed, of why are they pretending to follow the rules but clearly violating them?