Home treatment for young people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME)

Do you see teenagers with fatigue? They may come to your surgery with recurrent headaches or abdominal pain, nausea and dizziness. If the fatigue has lasted longer than three months and it is preventing them doing things, they may have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or CFS/ME.

Until recently, children in this region did not have access to a specialist local service. FITNET-NHS has changed this as all children are offered one of two treatments from a specialist at the Bath Paediatric CFS/ME Service.

Assessment and treatment is provided at home.

Children will receive either:

1. FITNET-NHS, a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) program - delivered online

2. Activity Management - delivered via Skype

What does it mean for your practice?

· Agree to a database search and mailout to potential participants (young people aged 11-17 with a recent diagnosis of CFS/ME or post-viral fatigue)

· Display patient leaflets and posters in your practice (optional)

· Opportunity to refer: www.ruh.nhs.uk/cfs

What are the benefits for your practice?

· Ability to offer specialist CFS/ME home treatment to young people who have no access to specialist treatment

· Reimbursement for patient identification activities

· Revalidation activities: participating in research

· Involvement in developing and testing new ways of offering treatment in UK NHS

For more details, please contact Alastair Mobley on alastair.mobley@nihr.ac.uk

For more information about the trial, including a clinician video, treatment details, how to refer, patient leaflets and trial contacts, please see our website: www.bristol.ac.uk/fitnet-nhs