Funding boost for services for long-term conditions

Health Minister Eluned Morgan has announced increased funding for Adferiad (long COVID) services. In 2022 she allocated £5m and this has now been raised to £8.3m for 2023. This will be shared between the 7 health boards in Wales to:

“widen access to Wales’ long-Covid services… to people with other long term conditions whose rehabilitation and recovery are similar – for example, people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia and other post-viral associated conditions.”

The Adferiad (Recovery) Services have been developed to: “provide diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and care for people experiencing long-term effects of COVID-19. They have been designed to respond to the particular needs of each individual whilst providing care as close to home as possible. People are supported by multi-professional teams including psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and nurses. If more specialist care is needed, people can be referred for further help and support.”

The Health Minister said:  “We know many people with other, long term conditions have reported feeling ‘misunderstood’ and ‘invisible’. I hope by widening access to Adferiad (Recovery) services we can better support people with conditions such as ME/CFS and fibromyalgia to get a diagnosis, manage their symptoms and access rehabilitation services, which are vital in helping improve physical and mental health and wellbeing.”

WAMES has already begun talking to some health boards about how services based on the NICE guideline and pathway can be effectively incorporated into their existing service model, so that appropriate provision is made for people with PEM/PESE. We will keep you updated on opportunities to give feedback for your area. In the meantime, please pass on to jan@wames.org.uk any information or experiences that will help us explain what people with ME/CFS need from health and wellbeing services in Wales.

• Do you have a diagnosis?
• Does your current GP use NICE 2021 to guide her/him?
• Are there services in your community which understand ME/CFS?

#ImplementNICEmecfs

Deeside.com: Boost in funding for rehabilitation services in Wales to support Long COVID sufferers