People with ME in Hartlepool, Stockton, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland do not have dedicated clinical services. The Tees area is the only area in the North East that failed in their bid for part of new Department of Health funding especially designated for CFS/ME for 2004/5.

ME North East presented a Business Case to the Tees Primary Care Trust Commissioners in October 2005 asking them to consider setting up CFS/ME services, modelled on the 4 teams elsewhere in the Northern Region. This was not successful.

Not prepared to take no for an answer the Northern CFS/ME Clinical Network and ME North East presented a Business Case to the Tees Primary Care Trust Commissioners again in October this year. Using the new clinics in the North East as models with the added benefit of two years experience in planning and implementation.

We recognise that all health services are under scrutiny and finances are extremely tight. Difficult decisions have to be made and priority recognised.

We feel our time has come. ME is a priority and people with ME in the Tees area are entitled to treatment on an equal par with their neighbours.

We are doing our best to persuade the four Tees Primary Care Trusts to include our bid for services in next years spending allocation.

ADD YOUR VOICE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN

- The alternative for the Tees area is to contract to CFS/ME services elsewhere.

- Leeds Fatigue Clinic is willing to take a small number of cases, but we know from experience this is too far for most patients with ME to travel.

- Case-by-case referral to the teams within the North East will be considered by Primary Care Trust Managers. But we are aware the teams in Durham & Darlington, North of Tyne & South of Tyne are full to capacity and cannot cope with an increase in referrals.

- Decisions on funding allocations will be made early next year and we want to make sure every effort has been made to raise awareness of the need for dedicated ME services locally.

What can you do that will help persuade them?
Write to your local MP.
Write to your local Primary Care Trust.
Tell them how much you need this service.
Tell them it is unfair that you don’t have equal treatment.
Tell them that for far too long ME has been ignored and that local service will provide early diagnosis and intervention. Local services will increase the potential for recovery and reduce the risk of chronicity.
Tell them it will enable direct quality control, reduce referrals to secondary care, reduce unnecessary investigations and reduce the number of “revolving door” patients.
Tell them the investment to deliver these services shared across 4 Tees PCT’s will provide excellent value for money.

Please put pen to paper and write to your local MP and local Primary Care Trust Chief Executive

Contact details are as follows:

Primary Care Trusts, Chief Executives

Mr Colin McLeod, Middlesborough PCT, Riverside House, 18 High Force Rd, Riverside Park, Middlesborough, Cleveland TS17 6SF. Tel: 01642 352370.

Mr John Roebuck, Hartlepool PCT, Mandale House, Harbour Walk, The Marina, Hartlepool, Cleveland, TS24 0UX, Tel: 01429 285079.

Mrs Christine Willis, North Tees PCT, (Stockton), Tower House, Thornaby Place, Thornaby, Stockton on Tees, TS17 6SF, Tel: 01642 3252297.

Mr Colin McLeod (acting), Redcar & Cleveland PCT (Langbaurgh), Langbaurgh House, Bow Street, Guisborough, Cleveland. TS14 7AA. Tel: 01287284400.

MP’s

Vera Baird MP, Redcar Constituency Office, Redcar Station Business Centre,
Station Road, TS10 1RD.

Dr Ashok Kumar MP, 6-8 Wilson Street, Guisborough, TS14 6NA.

Dari Taylor MP, 109 Lanehouse Road, Thornaby on Tees, TS17 8AB.

Frank Cook MP, Queensway Buildings, C/O Billingham Health Centre, Queensway,
Billingham TS23 2LA.

Sir Stuart Bell MP, House of Commons Information Office, House of Commons, Westminster, London, SW1A OAA.

Iain Wright MP, 23 South Road, Hartlepool, Cleveland, TS26 9HD.

Join the call to secure local services you deserve