North of Tyne CFS/ME Service
Address & Contact
c/o Regional Department of Immunology
Royal Victoria Infirmary
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4LP
0191 2336161
Website
Reviews Leave A Review
In '21 practitioner was thorough, telling me they could support me. Lead consultant made her call me back; I had restless legs & emotional difficulties dealing with my condition so it couldn't be CFS, just chronic fatigue & they couldn't see me. In '26 with severe symptoms refused because mental health difficulties even with appeal saying I no longer had MH difficulties. Upsetting & discriminatory
Had my referral rejected without even seeing me. Sent out a load of questionnaires, which i replied in respect of hiw my condition is affecting me, and they rejected it, telling my gp I had multiple personality disorders! My mental health has never been as stable!
I have never had an appointment with this service because of their discriminatory eligibility criteria, inconsistent with NICE guidance. They have twice rejected my GP referral due to high BMI. This is despite a stable weight for many years, and the ME symptoms/fatigue occuring after a viral infection. I lost 15kg, at the expense of worsening fatigue, but it still hasn't been enough for them.
Staff were adamant that my chronic fatigue couldn’t be CFS because I seemed ‘anxious.’ Suggested ‘doing a little bit more each day’ and CBT, didn’t acknowledge PEM and when I mentioned the NICE Guidelines, shrugged shoulders and said ‘They’re only guidelines.’ Physical examination conducted so fast that I could hardly follow the instructions. Overall very distressing experience.
Felt I wasn't listened to during interview and the person I consulted was going down a path of a diagnosis of his choosing. He seemed determined to exclude ME/CFS and to give me a rheumatic condition diagnosis. He wrote down things I didn't say and ignored important information I did give him. I was appalled by the letter he sent to my GP - because it contained misinformation.
Old fashioned out of date
Description
NOTE: NHS SERVICE
Patients over the age of 16 (separate services for children)
Please see eReferral System for guidelines on referral requirement. Referrals from GPs must be made via NHS eReferral system. Therapy team access is via medical assessment team only (direct referral to therapy team from primary care is not permitted).
Referrals from outside the North of Tyne area can be accepted for medical assessment only: therapy services for other areas are locality based.
Referrals to Dr G.P.Spickett, Consultant Clinical Immunologist.