Our Service provides diagnosis, assessment and treatment for people living in North-West London who are affected by mild to moderate Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).
The pathway starts with GP referral that includes a panel of blood tests, and medical diagnostic screening by a medical consultant. For people with a confirmed ME/CFS diagnosis, we provide a thorough assessment and develop a personalised plan of multidisciplinary input (which can include physiotherapy, occupational therapy and clinical psychology, as needed) for symptom management guidance, and include education & guidance for families & carers.
Clinical appointments are remote (video) to facilitate patient access from across North-West London. We can also arrange face-face therapy appointments at Hillingdon Hospital.
Please note we are not currently accepting referrals for long covid, which should be redirected to local long covid services. Also, while we will do our best to advise on the care of people severely or very severely affected by ME/CFS, we are not commissioned to provide home-based or inpatient care.
A specialist service for adults (18 years and over) who have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).
ME/CFS is a condition that causes physical and mental tiredness that does not improve after rest and often worsens after physical or mental exertion. In addition to fatigue, other common symptoms include:
- Impaired memory or concentration
- Unrefreshing sleep
- Muscle pain
- Pain in multiple joints
- Severe headaches
- Sore throat
- Tender lymph nodes
Treatment for ME/CFS involves learning self-management strategies, aimed at symptom improvement and recovery in the long-term.
Once a diagnosis of ME/CFS has been confirmed, further assessment and treatment is provided. The assessment framework and intervention strategies delivered are in line with current NICE guidelines for the management of ME/CFS and follow a symptom-management framework, incorporating elements of activity management, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and physical activity.
We offer telephone, online consultations and face-to-face sessions in order to make our service as accessible as possible to those across north west London.
Treatment is offered either in a group or individual format. The intervention programmes delivered as part of this service aim to teach patients the skills to self-manage their symptoms of chronic fatigue, and patients are strongly encouraged to continue these self-management skills on a long-term basis and beyond the end of the intervention received from the service.
We accept referrals from GPs and other NHS professionals on behalf of patients within the boroughs of Harrow, Hillingdon, Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster, Brent, Ealing and Hounslow.
All referrals must be accompanied by a complete set of blood results as detailed on our referral form:
Download the referral form (opens word doc).
Referrals can be emailed or posted to the service (address above).
This service is based at Hillingdon Hospital. Appointments take place at Hillingdon Hospital. If travelling by car, the nearest car parks are C and A, but parking space is very limited so patients are advised to travel by public transport where possible.
Nearest tube station: Uxbridge (Piccadilly or Metropolitan lines) from there you can catch a bus to Hillingdon Hospital.
Nearest railway station: West Drayton, from there you can take the U3 bus to Hillingdon Hospital.
We offer telephone, online consultations and face-to-face sessions in order to make our service as accessible as possible to those across north west London.
The service is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm (closed on public holidays).