{"id":15464,"date":"2025-07-22T12:53:08","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T12:53:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/15464\/"},"modified":"2025-07-22T12:53:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T12:53:08","slug":"boost-in-support-for-patients-with-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-or-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/15464\/","title":{"rendered":"Boost in support for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome or ME"},"content":{"rendered":"

Better care closer to home for patients living with myalgic encephalomyelitis\/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME\/CFS)
\n Plan outlines clear steps to improve care for patients, by investing in research and offering access to care in the community\u00a0
\n Actions build on government\u2019s wider 10 Year Health Plan to rebuild the NHS and put patients\u2019 needs at the heart of care<\/p>\n

Patients living with\u00a0debilitating conditions are set to receive improved care closer to home, thanks to government plans published today (22 July 2025).\u00a0<\/p>\n

The government has committed to changing attitudes and transforming care for patients with ME\/CFS.<\/p>\n

The condition affects approximately 390,000 people in the UK, causing debilitating fatigue, sleep problems and difficulties with thinking, concentration and memory.\u00a0The impact of this condition varies between cases, but severe ME\/CFS, which is thought to affect a quarter of those diagnosed, leaves patients housebound or unable to work.<\/p>\n

The plan published today provides the foundations for significant improvements in all key areas that affect people living with ME\/CFS<\/a> in England, many of whom currently struggle to access appropriate care tailored to their complex condition.<\/p>\n

As a priority, the plan will introduce new training for NHS healthcare professionals, featuring up-to-date learning resources to increase understanding and ensure signs are not missed. This will help combat the stigma faced by people living with ME\/CFS, which stems from a lack of awareness about the condition.<\/p>\n

The rollout of neighbourhood health services as set out in the government\u2019s 10 Year Health Plan<\/a> will also see ME\/CFS patients able to access care closer to home, with specially trained staff able to support those with complex needs.<\/p>\n

Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Ashley Dalton, said:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

ME\/CFS is a debilitating illness that can severely limit patients\u2019 ability to participate in everyday activities, maintain employment, or enjoy family and social life.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s plan will help tackle the stigma and lack of awareness of this condition through improved training for NHS staff.<\/p>\n

And through our neighbourhood health services, we will ensure patients suffering from the effects of ME\/CFS can access quality care, closer to home, as pledged in our 10 Year Health Plan.<\/p>\n

Our Plan for Change is transforming how patients experience care and this plan represents a comprehensive approach to addressing the long-standing gaps in care and support for people with these conditions, with patient access to appropriate care at its heart.<\/p>\n

Sonya Chowdhury, Chief Executive, Action for ME, said:<\/p>\n

This is an important step for the ME community, long overlooked and under-served. The plan must not be a token gesture – it requires a sustained, strategic commitment to care, funding, and research. Without it, meaningful outcomes for people with ME will not be achieved.<\/p>\n

The plan includes increased funding for research, awarded through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, into how existing medicines can be used for ME\/CFS. This initiative aims to give patients access to a wider range of potential treatments.<\/p>\n

It will also address the specific needs of children and young people, ensuring they receive appropriate and timely support in education settings.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Recognising that ME\/CFS affects people\u2019s ability to work, the plan includes wider government initiatives to address issues with benefit assessment processes and provide support to help patients with long-term conditions and disabilities find and maintain meaningful employment where possible.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Offering care closer to home forms part of the government\u2019s 10 Year Health Plan to rebuild the NHS, putting patients\u2019 needs first and delivering effective, accessible treatment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The government will continue to work with stakeholders and build on the foundations of actions in the final delivery plan well beyond its publication, reaffirming our commitment to ongoing development and improvement.\u00a0This all forms part of the government\u2019s Plan for Change to build an NHS fit for the future and one which offers the highest-quality, personalised care.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Better care closer to home for patients living with myalgic encephalomyelitis\/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME\/CFS) Plan outlines clear steps…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15465,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[102,2960,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-15464","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthcare","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-healthcare","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15464"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15464\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}