HL Deb 15 July 1996 vol 574 cc617-8

3.1 p.m.

Lord Archer of Weston-Super-Mare asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they will take to ensure consistent and adequate treatment for the 150,000 men, women and children in Britain who suffer from the debilitating illness ME.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege)

My Lords, the Government have commissioned the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges to provide us with advice about the nature and wider clinical aspects of the condition. The chapter on chronic fatigue syndrome in the Disability Handbook is being revised and will be published in September this year. The Chief Medical Adviser to the Department of Social Security has set up an expert group to advise on chronic fatigue syndrome.

Lord Archer of Weston-Super-Mare

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. Will she ask her department to consider distributing the report that has been brought out by the national task force to doctors and the Department for Social Security so that people who suffer from this terrible disease may discover whether they are eligible for a disability living allowance?

Baroness Cumberlege

My Lords, yes. I understand that this report came out in 1994. It was distributed to the Department for Social Security and all family health service authorities. Copies were sent to health professionals in hospitals and universities. They were also made available free of charge to those who asked for them.

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley

My Lords, the national task force has been referred to and also the report of the Royal Colleges. Can the noble Baroness tell us when the report of the Royal Colleges is expected, and when we are likely to be able to read it? Will she also join in condemning the kind of ill-informed press report that appeared in the Daily Mirror on 11th May under the heading, It is just posh bosh", which can only add to the pain of ME sufferers?

Baroness Cumberlege

My Lords, we expect to receive the report of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges soon. As to its publication, that will depend on the Chief Medical Officer. He is a very open person who on the whole likes to publish reports.

I did not see the press report of 11th May. However, I know that there is a consensus in the country that there is this condition which is called either ME or CFS. It is not fully understood and more research needs to be done into its causes, its diagnosis and its treatment.

Baroness Jay of Paddington

My Lords, on Thursday the Minister announced that she was convening a special group to study people suffering from organophosphate poisoning, which is another condition where treatment is often said to be somewhat inappropriate and inconsistent. Will she take similar action as regards ME? Does she agree that if the internal market did not prevent the pooling of specialist knowledge between consultants and hospitals, the need for these specific initiatives would be much less?

Baroness Cumberlege

My Lords, before another group is set up we need to see the report from the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and from the group set up by the Chief Medical Adviser. As regards the internal market, there is no setback at all in pooling information, advice and research.

The Countess of Mar

My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that the Department for Social Security is taking the problem of ME and chronic fatigue syndrome very seriously and now has a committee looking into the problem with a view to informing the doctors in the medical service of the Benefits Agency of the symptoms and the signs to look for?

Baroness Cumberlege

My Lords, I did refer to that in my initial Answer.

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