ME/CFS – an urgent need for awareness, services, research funding and support (Women’s Health Plan)
The first Women’s Health Plan for Wales was launched in December 2024 and illustrates a 10-year vision to improve healthcare services for women, uncluding a call for urgent attention to ME/CFS.
Research shows that while women live longer than men, they live fewer years free from disability, wait longer for pain relief and many women report having their symptoms dismissed.
Created by the National Strategic Clinical Network for Women’s Health, the plan sets out how NHS organisations in Wales will close the gender health gap by providing better health services for women, ensuring they are listened to, and their health needs are understood.
There are nearly 60 actions in the Plan across eight priority areas.
ME/CFS comes under priority 8: Ageing well and long term conditions across the life course [p89]
7.8.6 Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) disproportionately affects women, with recent studies indicating that
approximately 75-85% of individuals are female.
approximately 75-85% of people with ME/CFS are female
The impact of ME/CFS on women’s health can be profound, leading to significant physical, emotional, and social challenges. Women with ME/CFS experience a range of symptoms that hinder their ability to participate in daily activities, maintain employment, and act as carers. People with ME/CFS are more likely to have co-morbid conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Fibromyalgia, which also affect more women than men, and can lead to additional challenges for diagnosis and healthcare support.
The ‘Women’s Health Wales Coalition Quality Statement’ emphasises the need for equitable access to diagnosis and treatment for women experiencing ME/CFS, recognising the unique challenges they face.
By integrating this understanding into the Plan, there is an urgent need for tailored healthcare services, increased awareness, and dedicated research funding aimed at improving diagnosis, treatment, and support for women affected by ME/CFS.
WAMES is continuing talks with the Women’s Clinical Health Network, led by Dr Helen Munro from Hywel Dda UHB as well as the other Clinical networks, to ensure that everybody within NHS Wales is aware of the needs of the ME community in Wales, and every possible avenue to improved services is explored.
