Essex Community Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Service
Address & Contact
Tyrells Health Wing
Seamore Avenue
Benfleet
Essex
SS7 4EX
0300 443 2227 (using extension 32227)
Email: mse.cfsservice@nhs.net
Description
We are an Essex-wide community service, and we require referrals from GPs.We are unable at this time to accept referrals from outside the Essex area.
We support people with:
Mild to moderate Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) symptoms. Those with severe and very severe conditions, as outlined by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), should be referred to a Specialist Centre.
We are a small multidisciplinary team consisting of a Consultant Nurse, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, and Health and Well-being Practitioners.
Our team provides a holistic assessment of patients to confirm diagnoses, which includes:
- A thorough history of symptoms and past medical conditions.
- A physical assessment. This could include checking movement, balance and reflexes as well as blood pressure and heart rate.
- Questions around emotional well-being
- A social assessment. This could include questions about where the patient lives, how they manage at home and whether they have care support.
This information will enable our team to develop and agree a personalised care plan with the patient and their family/carer.
Therapy support can be delivered in a variety of formats – face to face, video consultation or telephone. We prefer the 1st consultation to be face-to-face to enable us to make a definitive diagnosis. Following this, and as part of the personalised care plan, the patient will work with the therapy team on their preference for future contacts. Information and care can be provided in a variety of formats:
- Individual one-to-one sessions.
- Group-based sessions.
- Written information.
- Audio resources.
We use NICE Guidelines, current research and evidence, and feedback from all our patient groups to shape our service.
