Hull & East Yorkshire Chronic Fatigue Service
A guide to the service
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME) can affect many aspects of our lives, including work, relationships and leisure. It makes it harder to manage the everyday tasks that we normally take for granted. Even normal physical activity may make you feel very tired. Our aim is to provide you with the help and information you need to cope with your health condition and to maintain your quality of life. CFS/ME has been defined as “clinically evaluated, unexplained, persistent or relapsing chronic fatigue that is of new or definite onset (i.e. not lifelong), is not the result of ongoing exertion, is not substantially alleviated by rest and results in a substantial reduction in previous levels of occupational, social or personal activities”.
Referral and assessment
You are likely to have been referred to our service by your GP who suspects that you have symptoms of CFS/ME. Your GP should know of this referral and the reasons behind it.
What your assessment involves:
- A diagnosis: Are you suffering from CFS/ME? Is there an additional or alternative diagnosis e.g. anxiety or depression?
- A preliminary investigation of medical, psychological and social factors in the development and course of your illness. This may include further physical investigations.
- Negotiating a joint understanding/formulation of your problems and agreeing aims/goals for the treatment that would best meet your individual needs
- Establishing your views on treatment and preference for individual treatment.
- Following your assessment we will write to your GP with a summary of your assessment with us.
What happens after your assessment?
We will discuss with you what you would like from our service and the help we can provide. This could include:
- The provision of information and guidance on how you can self-manage your condition.
- Individual sessions to provide therapy to enable the management of CFS/ME.
- Graded exercise physiotherapy to help you re-establish a pattern of exercise and activity.
- It is especially important that you are fully involved in all aspects of your care with us.
Confidentiality and complaints
The Chronic Fatigue Service will keep a clinical record of your involvement with our service. We will also, on occasion, share information with other health professionals involved with your care. This is normal practice to ensure that your care is fully informed and co-ordinated. Sensitive personal information will only be shared with your consent.
What do I do if I want to make a complaint?
If you are unhappy about the service you receive you can contact The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) which is a confidential service for anyone who needs advice, information and support on local NHS services.
PALS is a listening service, willing to hear your views, comments and concerns. Where appropriate, actions will be taken to put things right, or to provide you with an explanation relating to where things have gone wrong before they become a major issue.
Contacting PALS is also a way of passing on your positive comments, suggestions and good experiences in relation to local health services, so that services can be improved for everyone.