MESH Cornwall

URGENT - CFS/ME SERVICE closed to NEW REFERRALS for three months:
Please note that the CFS/ME Service will be temporarily closed to new referrals for three months until late March 2012. However, any patient who is due for a follow-up appointment will be seen. All GPs in Cornwall have been notified of this situation.

The temporary closure is due to the lack of ‘medical replacement' after the recent retirement of Professor AJ Pinching, and to long-term illness of a member of the CFS/ME Service team.

In a letter to MESH cornwall the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust has stated that -

“as an organisation we value the work of the CFS/ME Cornwall Team and the importance of the Service to our patients.”

AND the RCHT continues with an apology,

“for not being more proactive in plans for replacing Professor AJ Pinching when he retired last autumn. However, we are doing all we can to resolve the situation. As with all other services when a vacancy occurs, it is only right that there is a review to consider how the Service may work differently, or more effectively, and that is the exercise we are currently undertaking with the CFS/ME Service.

Those plans, with considerable support from the team and our Commissioners, are making good progress.

It is with regret that we have agreed to close the (CFS/ME) Service to new referrals for the next three months. This period of time will allow us to fully consider all our options and appoint the most suitable medical workforce to ensure the service is robust for the foreseeable future.

In conclusion, we would like to reassure you that we consider the impact of reduced workforce in the CFS/ME service to be a temporary situation which we are working on resolving with a sense of urgency.”

If CFS/ME patients and/or carers have comments about this situation please email: MESHcornwall@live.co.uk and MESH cornwall will pass on your views to the appropriate decision makers. MESH cornwall is closely monitoring the situation and will communicate progress of the CFS/ME Service review through this website and through the MESH cornwall Newsletter.

Please continue to scroll down for the rest of the MESH cornwall HOME page.

LATEST LOCAL CFS/ME NEWS !

Please be aware despite the retirement of Professor Pinching the CFS/ME service is still running.

We have
Dr Robert Gardner and Dr Wendy Collins as our expert medical team.
Carol Wilson, as Specialty Lead and Consultant Grade Occupational Therapist,
Dr Cristina Lopez-Chertudi, Consultant Clinical Psychologist
and three local occupational therapists.
They are providing
Assessment, Diagnosis, Symptom Management and NICE recommended interventions.

IF YOU NEED A CFS/ME REFERRAL PLEASE SEE YOUR GP

GPs will then refer patients using:
Referrals via Choose and Book/RMS for patients 16+
and on Paper to The Specialty Lead, Carol Wilson for those under 16

Welcome to MESH cornwall
CFS/ME SUPPORT, HELP and ACTION

supporting, helping and acting for people in Cornwall
with CFS/ME, their carers and families,
since 1987.

MESH cornwall is run by a very small team of dedicated volunteers most of whom have CFS/ME.

MESH cornwall, originally called ME SELF-HELP, was founded in 1987 by Stephanie Woodcock.

Patron:
Professor AJ Pinching

President: Wendy Trebilcock

Chairman: Elaine Peller

for membership contact: Frances Paull fran@idless.com or 01872 242363

JOIN MESH cornwall FOR:

Membership information pack ~ with how to cope and improve strategies
Members-only telephone Helpline ~ emotional problems, benefits help or general advice
Members' newsletter ~ regular newsletters, CFS/ME articles, a chance to have your say
Quarterly meetings ~ with speakers and discussions ~ open to all ~ free to members
Information resources ~ leaflets on research and general CFS/ME subjects
Local informal networking ~ small local chat groups and get-togethers

WHAT DOES MESH cornwall DO ?

Liaises with the Cornwall NHS, CFS/ME Service Team
Campaigns for better understanding of CFS/ME throughout Cornwall
Campaigns for CFS/ME training for GPs and hospital doctors / nurses
Campaigns for better Social Services and NHS Community Care provision
Has joined CAN-DO, Cornwall Alliance for Neural-Domain Organisations
Promotes CFS/ME issues with ~ leaflets, events, exhibitions and through the press
Represents members on Disability Cornwall and LINK
Monitors medical advances and up to date research
Encourages the appropriate use of Complementary Therapies

This is a `living` web site and we welcome ideas on content

email us at: MESHcornwall@live.co.uk - replies at CFS/ME slow pace

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE