Are there any ME/CFS Specialists or clinic's in Scotland?

[shygirly]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone could tell me if there are any specialist's or clinic's for ME/CFS in Scotland? I live in the west of Scotland but can easily travel to Glasgow. Any advice would be really appreciated.

Thank you.

[DevonLady]

Hi, I don't live in Scotland but a few months ago whilst looking for info. online I came across some excellent guidance and information on ME/CFS produced by the Scottish Govt/NHS Scotland in 2010. It appears to be so much more up to date and informed than anything produced in England (including the NICE guidelines) but I have got the impression from reading about patients' experiences in Scotland since it was produced that this excellent guidance and no doubt sincere intent behind it at the time it was written has not, as yet, translated into any kind of improved service for Scotland.

However, the docs are still online and if nothing else, they provide a wealth of good information for clinicians and patients alike, including a list of support groups and other services available in Scotland (at least as of 2010). And if your GP claims they know nothing about ME (as mine did) then you can tell them where to look! : )

Perhaps ME sufferers living in Scotland might ask their MPs what progress has been made since these documents were produced and if there has been none/little, the reason for that?

http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/GoodPractic ... oners.aspx

P.S. If the link doesn't work or has to be removed just google 'Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME/CFS' and you'll be able to find a link in the search results.

[Dr Charles Shepherd]

Yes, the Scottish Guidelines are an improvement on the ones produced by NICE and I was involved with Dr Gregor Purdie in the early work on this initiative

Unfortunately, there are very few hospital based ME/CFS referral services for people in Scotland

The MEA website (http://www.meassociation.org.uk) has contact details for all the UK hospital based services.

This is our listing for Scotland:

NHS SPECIALIST SERVICES IN SCOTLAND
We want to build up a picture of specialist NHS services for adults and children with ME in Scotland. If you know of any good services, please let us know. If you have any tried any services, your feedback will be most welcome. Email here.
We’ll publish the detail as it comes in.

Astley Ainslie Hospital

Department of Clinical Psychology, Astley Ainslie Hospital, 133 Grange Loan, Edinburgh EH9 2HL. Open only on Thursdays and Fridays. Tel: 0131 537 9139.
This is a Lothian-wide service for patients with a diagnosis of ME/CFS, who are well enough to attend the service. The service was been set up as a two-year pilot starting in November 2012, is based in the hospital’s pain management service and is run by specialist physiotherapy and applied psychology staff.

Fife

Scotland’s only specialist nurse-led service for patients with ME/CFS is at the LadyBank Clinic, Commercial Road, Ladybank, Fife KY15 7JS, tel: 01337 832 123, email: keithanderson1@nhs.net It is run by Keith Anderson, a qualified psychotherapist and CBT therapist. Mr Anderson recently gave a talk to Edinburgh ME Self Help Group; to download a short report of this talk, please click HERE.

Stornaway, Western Isles

A Fatigue Management Programme was opened in May 2011 at the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway to help people with fatigue to explore the reasons for the fatigue and equip them with the techniques to manage the problem better. A video link to Uist and Barra Hospital may be set up, if there is a demand for it. The Western Isles, with a population of about 26,000 people, has no specialist ME/CFS service. To inquire about joining the programme, please contact Elaine Smith, Occupational Therapy Department, tel: 01851 708287, or email elaine.smith1@nhs.net who will send you an application form.

[Catrina26]

Hi my niece and two friends with CFS/me have been referred to the Glasgow Homeopathic (sp) Hospital. They have been told it is where anyone with CFS/me is referred in the Glasgow area. It used to be Gartnavel Hospital but services were cut and they no longer see anyone and Specialist now works down south but you can see him privately at Nuffield, Glasgow.

[shygirly]

Thanks for all the advice and information. I have just downloaded the booklet and will read through that. I have to say I have learnt quite a lot from this online clinic. It's so reassuring to see and learn that others have the same thoughts and concerns as myself. I think it's fantastic that we have had access to professionals who understand and can advise on this condition especially when like myself we don't appear to live near a centre or professional who can give us advice. Thank you. Xx