Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Hansard, 10 December 1996)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Sate, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege)
My Lords, the report of the medical Royal Colleges has contributed to the debate about the nature and treatment 936 of chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as ME. Until there is a diagnostic test or robust evidence of an effective treatment, we shall continue to fund research and to support the voluntary sector. This will help to ensure that patients receive the best possible advice and treatment available within the current state of our scientific knowledge.

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for her reply and, in particular, for her reference to the need for more research. Will the Minister agree that a crucial first step in which her department could take a leading role is to get the message across to doctors, especially GPs in the front line, that chronic fatigue syndrome is a very real condition: it is not all in the mind and needs skilful and sympathetic management?

§ Baroness Cumberlege
Yes, my Lords; I entirely agree with the noble Earl, Lord Baldwin. In fact, I was discussing with the Chief Medical Officer this morning the best way of getting the message across to general practitioners. He has agreed to include an article in the monthly CMO's Update which goes to every GP in the country.

§ Lord Dean of Beswick
My Lords, if the necessary research into this condition were to be dramatically increased, can the Minister tell the House where the funding would come from, bearing in mind the fact that the trusts which provide such services have very little money to devote to that kind of activity?

§ Baroness Cumberlege
My Lords, the noble Lord will be aware that this Government have given a commitment to put more resources into the health service year on year on year on year on year for five years.

§ Lord Rea
My Lords, I agree with the report of the Royal Colleges that the main care for this condition should be provided by primary healthcare and by general practitioners. However, does the Minister agree that the initial diagnosis and the teasing out of this condition is complicated because it could be described as a multi-faceted condition? Is the Minister satisfied that facilities are available in hospitals throughout the country to make an accurate initial diagnosis to guide general practitioners who will then carry on with the treatment?

§ Baroness Cumberlege
My Lords, the noble Lord is absolutely right. There is no agreed diagnostic criteria at the moment which makes it a difficult condition to combat. There is still a debate about what other factors should be taken into account in determining the nature of the disease and also its treatment. We believe that it is increasingly being dealt with more sympathetically and that provision is made for these patients in hospital. Indeed we have no reason to believe otherwise.

§ Lord Mackie of Benshie
My Lords, is the Minister aware that it is widely thought that the Government are suffering from this syndrome?

§ Baroness Cumberlege
My Lords, the Government are strong, healthy and prepared to go on for another five years.

§ The Countess of Mar
My Lords, is the Minister aware of the work that has been done at Glasgow University on the effects of organophosphates on chronic fatigue syndrome? Is she aware that there would appear in some cases to be a link, and that perhaps chronic fatigue syndrome has not only one cause but a number of causes?

§ Baroness Cumberlege
My Lords, we are aware of the research that is being carried out at the University of Glasgow. Indeed I believe that officials visited the author of the work only last week. We have not yet seen the full report.

§ Lord Clark of Kempston
My Lords, does my noble friend accept that the Government have increased in real terms the money available for the National Health Service? The Opposition, who criticise the funding of the National Health Service, would be better advised to say where they would get the money from if they reformed it.

§ Baroness Cumberlege
Yes, my Lords, of course.

§ Baroness Jay of Paddington
My Lords, I follow that simple point with another one. Are the Government concerned that one of the suggestions of the Royal Colleges is that this whole business should be handed to general practitioners, and that the care of people with this syndrome should rest in the hands of family doctors? Is it not the exact opposite of the whole policy of evidence based medicine that this complicated work is being handed to general practice at a time when that service is in flux and, as we understand it, may well end up in the hands of private pharmacologists?

§ Baroness Cumberlege
My Lords, the noble Baroness is right to say that this is a complex area. That is why we are putting more resources into research on it. One of the two projects that we are funding at the moment to the tune of £65,000 concerns looking at whether GPs are best placed to manage this condition.

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley
My Lords, would not the noble Baroness agree that, in line with the Government's stated policy of putting patients first, patient organisations should now be actively involved with the medical profession in taking the agenda forward, which is something which has not necessarily happened in the past?

§ Baroness Cumberlege
Yes, my Lords, that is very much in tune with the whole of our philosophy about involving patients with their care.