UK House of Lords/ House of Commons Questions

Some schools such as my daughter's (a state secondary) have trained counsellors. A friend of mine who is a counsellor has also managed to develop a part-time paid position for herself at another school.
I don't know how common this is, perhaps not very.

I imagine different schools will adapt this into their current pastoral system, especially as I bet there's no real extra money for the Designated Senior Leads for Mental Health.

 

Date: January 12, 2018

URL:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/p...s/written-question/Commons/2017-12-21/120854/

Ref: http://www.me-net.combidom.com/meweb/web1.4.htm#westminster

[Written Answers]

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
------------------------

Martyn Day

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking as a result of the latest evidence on the diagnosis and treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. [120854]

Steve Brine

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent expert body responsible for developing robust, evidence based guidance for the National Health Service to support it in designing services that are in line with the best available evidence.

The NICE guideline Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy): Diagnosis and management of CFS/ME in adults and children sets outs best practice for clinicians on the diagnosis, treatment, care and support of people with the condition and assists commissioners in planning services for local populations. The full guideline can be found at the following link:

http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg53

NICE routintely reviews its guidance to ensure it reflects the lastest available evidence. On 20 September 2017, NICE announced its decision to undertake a full update of the CFS/ME guidance. More information on this decision can be found at the following link:

http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg5...nt-2007-nice-guideline-cg53-pdf-5964455783941

 

The push here is to have CAMHS staff in schools. Putting the onus on teachers just dosn' t work.

 

http://www.parliament.uk/business/p...nts/written-question/Lords/2018-01-11/HL4650/

Ref: http://www.me-net.combidom.com/meweb/web1.4.htm#westminster

[Written Answers]

Mental Health Services: Schools
-------------------------------

The Countess of Mar

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether teachers who become Designated Senior Leads for Mental Health to oversee the approach to mental health and wellbeing in schools will be trained to distinguish children with anxiety, depression or behavioural problems from children who have myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome) as a primary cause of their illness. [HL4650]

Lord Agnew of Oulton

It will be for schools to decide what training is needed by Designated Senior Leads for mental health. They can choose to train leads in recognising and responding to specific health conditions, including anxiety, depression or myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome).

We would not expect leads to have specialist clinical knowledge or to make diagnoses. We expect that they will work closely with new Mental Health Support Teams and specialist NHS services to draw on expert advice and training on how to respond to different needs and ensure that timely referrals are made to NHS services if necessary.

The department will be supporting providers to develop training for leads through the Teaching and Leadership Innovation Fund. The department wants the training to focus on effective ways to set up and maintain a whole-school approach to mental health within which any conditions can be identified and specialist support provided most
effectively.

 

erm....so Her Majesty's Government now admits to seeing ME as a mental health condition?

...and the answer to the question seems to be.....why are you asking us? it's not our problem.

 

Something about this just doesn't make sense.

always.

 

I think it means Lord Agnew of Oulton doesn't have a clue and doesn't give a sh*t.

 

http://www.parliament.uk/business/p...s/written-question/Commons/2018-02-20/128537/

Paul Blomfield

Asked on: 20 February 2018

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the potential merits of removing cognitive behavioural therapy and graded exercise therapy as treatments for ME from the current NICE guidelines. [128537]

 

Here is the reply:

Date: February 28, 2018

URL:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/p...s/written-question/Commons/2018-02-20/128537/

Ref: http://www.me-net.combidom.com/meweb/web1.4.htm#westminster

[Written Answers]

...

Steve Brine

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and develops its guidance based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and in consultation with stakeholders. The Department is a stakeholder in the development of NICE's guidance, but has no direct influence over its recommendations.

Its revised guidance on the diagnosis and management of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis is due for publication in October 2020. Registered stakeholders are encouraged to respond to consultations. However, the guideline is also clear that there is no one form of treatment to suit every patient. Treatment approaches will not be appropriate for all patients and the needs and preferences of patients should be taken into account.

 

Could the CQC (Care Quality Commission) have a role here?

 

they only deal with England but agree; will set up a thread.
https://www.s4me.info/threads/care-...ng-re-cbt-get-treatment-for-me-patients.2722/

 

Just to let you know my MP Jim Shannon asked the question about the Yellow cards here:

Top of page 11, question no 98: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmquestionbook/noq.pdf

Questions tabled on Monday 5 March 2018

I wrote to him a short while ago about this issue - info copied into my blog here:
http://sallyjustme.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/yellow-cards-psycho-social-therapies.html

 

http://www.parliament.uk/business/p...s/written-question/Commons/2018-03-08/131695/

Barry Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the medical records held by GPs on the number of patients GPs have seen who have been diagnosed with ME/CFS.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/p...s/written-question/Commons/2018-03-08/131736/

Theresa Villiers

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to expand access to PACE treatment for people who have Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

 

??
What does this mean?

 

I have no idea!

 

Have just emailed her to say we don't want the 'therapies' recommended by the PACE trial, that in fact we want them removed from the NICE guidelines now, and sent her a link to the petition.

 

It means Theresa Villiers has just clarified to everyone, especially to parliament, that she hasn't the faintest grasp of the situation at all.

EDIT: OR (to be fair) it might mean she is trying to suss if Jeremy Hunt plans to press on with PACE treatments regardless, no matter what the mountain of evidence is against it.

EDIT 2: I have emailed Theresa Villiers for clarification of the motivation behind her question.

EDIT 3: Please see my post #87, to maybe put this in a fairer context.

@Andy: Tagging you as you liked this post prior to some significant edits I made.

 

Perhaps she is putting them on the spot? They now should answer either YES or NO.

To answer YES would show there is an agenda to increase PACE treatments.
To answer NO gives us something to quote if CBT/GET is still pushed and expanded in the years between now and 2020

However I imagine there won't be a straight answer - they'll say plans will depend on the NICE review or some such.