The Winter edition of the Sussex & Kent ME/CFS Society’s 20 page newsletter includes coverage of the South East ME/CFS Medical Conference and news on the Sussex and Kent NHS services for people with CFS/ME and other topical subjects. Top nutritionist Dr Alan Stewart has written about Vitamin D and there are pieces on The Lightning Process and a planned Pesticides review. Also included is information on gatherings held across Kent and Sussex as well as a list of our telephone contacts. To secure your copy see the Join Us page of this website.

Brighton Pavilion MP, David Lepper is calling on the Primary Care Trusts of Sussex to provide funding to further develop NHS services for those suffering from the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalopathy in the county. The present service consisting of specialist doctors and therapists is based in Burgess Hill and holds clinics in Hove and Eastbourne but the team are struggling to cope with the number of referrals that they have received since becoming operational in 2005. Mr Lepper has written to the PCTs of East Sussex, Brighton & Hove and West Sussex asking what plans they have to improve and expand provision for the estimated 6,000 people affected by the illness across Sussex. 

David Lepper says: “Further development funding is needed to bring the service In line with the clear recommendations in Lord Darzi’s Next Stage Review of the NHS, which focuses on quality, as well as recommending that NICE guidelines should be fully implemented.” “ As Health Minister Ann Keen made clear in answering a Parliamentary Question put down by me It is the responsibility of local health bodies to commission services, funded from their general allocations, to meet the needs of those in their local population living with chronic fatigue syndrome/ME as detailed in the guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.”

Colin Barton, Chairman of the Sussex ME/CFS Society says: “The present service that we helped set up four years ago is doing an admirable job with the limited resources available but needs further support to cope with the demands of a waiting list of people requiring confirmation diagnosis and specialist management.”

Nearly 250 people packed Hove Town Hall on September 26th to hear Prof Leslie Findley, Dr Keith Hine, Dr Kamal Patel, Dr Alan Stewart, Dr Mario Vegara-Williamson and Dr Mike Broughton along with George Armstrong from AfME give presentations and enter into discussions. Chairman of the Parliamentary group for ME, Des Turner MP was there as were representatives of the local NHS specialist CFS/ME teams and several GPs, nurses and social workers. Representatives of the local Primary Care Trusts and education authorities also attended and various organisations and practitioners had information stands on site. There was a wonderfully positive and friendly atmosphere at the venue and refreshments were served and music played. 

Local doctors and patients along with social workers and MPs are attending a conference at Hove Town Hall on Friday September 26th to learn more about the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – ME. Over 200 delegates are expected to hear specialists speak about diagnosing and managing the illness and alternative practitioners will have information stands at the venue.

Colin Barton, Chairman of the Sussex & Kent ME/CFS Society says: “Most doctors these day recognise ME as a serious illness and do their best to treat and support patients and there are now specialist NHS services operational across the counties that have dealt with hundreds of referrals. More funding is needed however to further develop these essential services and we are calling on the local Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to provide further support.”