Dedicated CFS/ME Clinical Services in Teesside

'You can make it happen'
The 2008/09 round of funding for local health services will be decided over the next 2-3 months. ME North East and the Northern CFS/ME Clinical Network continue to press the business case for the Teesside Primary Care Trust (PCT) Commissioners to fund a service locally. Some of our members in Teesside responded to the questionnaire about this in the last newsletter, and we thank you for that, however many more did not. For some we understand such a task would be extremely difficult, and for others it could simply be that you were going to, but it slipped your mind.

We urge you to put pen to paper if you possibly can and add your voice to the call for a local service for YOU. We don't need pages of detail, a simple brief note will suffice. Although the PCT's in Teesside tell us people can be referred to the Leeds Service, we do have evidence from you that shows how impractical this is.
We would like to remind you that you can ask for a referral, via your GP, to one of the CFS/ME Teams in the Northern Region, either; County Durham & Darlington, South of Tyne, or North of Tyne. You can also request a direct referral to Dr Gavin Spickett in his Immunology Clinic at Newcastle’s RVI.

One last word, we must have the "Evidence of Need" from you to prove the case for local services, please help us to help you, and we hope that 2008 proves a successful year for this bid. With your support we can make it happen.