§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people his Department estimates had myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) in Greater London in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by(a) sex and (b) age group; how much (i) Government and (ii) non-government money has been spent on ME in Greater London since January 2002; if he will list the ME specialists there are in Greater London; and if he will make a statement. [177039]
§ Mr. HuttonThis information requested is not collected centrally.
This Government are committed to improving services for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), which is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). This is evidenced by the fact that:
We endorsed the view or the independent working group that CFS/ME is a debilitating and distressing condition, which affects people of all ages.We have asked the Medical Research Council to develop a research strategy for CFS/ME.We have asked the National institute for Clinical Excellence to develop guidelines for the diagnosis and management of CFS/ME.549WWe have made available £8.5 million to develop services specifically designed for people with CFS/ME.In line with the Department's "Shifting the Balance of Power" initiative, allocations are made direct to primary care trusts (PCTs). It is now the responsibility of PCTs to commission services which meet the needs of their local populations.