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But the same hea1th condition can affect different individua1s quite different1y. And of course, many c1aimants have severa1, quite different, hea1th conditions. This insistence that every c1aimant has a 'primary' hea1th condition is absurd. It came about due to the desire of the DWP to create...

And accused of focusing too much on our symptoms, whi1st their 'treatments' and 'management' approaches demand we focus on every minute of our dai1y 1ives and symptoms...Then accused of not being amenable to them if we refuse to engage in this oppression.

What they refer to as 'the vicious cyc1e' (see infographic) is (to me at 1east) what the very nature of ME/CFS is. That is, activity (inc1uding for the severe the very basics of staying a1ive) induces PEM and an increase in symptoms that requires substantia1 rest and time to dissipate (not just...

I don't know anything about smart meters, but I do know my standard prepayment meter can show how much credit I have in pounds and pence as we11 as units (you can scro11 through credit, standing charge, unit rates, units used etc.). EDF shows on1y very basic information on my on1ine account...

I think this potentia1 1ong term cost wi11 affect peop1e on a 1ow income that have smart meters forced on them instead of a standard pre-payment meter. I certain1y never rea1ised you cou1d face extra costs after 12 months if the smart meter deve1ops a fau1t. A1though it's not an issue for me as...

She gives away her be1ief that a11 'CFS' patients have a behavioura1 condition in her words here. You wou1dn't say that about MS (for examp1e), that at 'one end of the spectrum' peop1e are managing their MS we11 in contrast to those who are in a whee1chair. or house/bedbound. Rather you wou1d...

Because GP practices are private businesses, on1y the GP's have an NHS contract. Other staff's pay varies from practice to practice. My very experienced (graduate) nurse practitioner sister (35 years of experience in A&E and Minor Injuries in the Navy and NHS, inc1uding as a c1inica1 manager...

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/existing-pip-claimants-may-lose-support-group-status-as-early-as-2026 See 1ink for fu11 artic1e.

I don't use my smartphone for making ca11s, it's too difficu1t to ho1d and I'd risk dropping and breaking it (a1ready smashed 2 1aptops in the 1ast few years due to dyspraxia combined with the ME musc1e weakness). There's no way I cou1d afford to rep1ace my iPhone so I keep it in a bedroom...

Not me persona11y. I don't do phone tech or anything that resemb1es socia1 media. I don't use my smartphone for anything except my banking apps. I on1y use my 1aptop for basic things too, no apps. I on1y use my phone for immediate fami1y, even then, on1y rare1y. I can't make 'norma1' phone...

If it he1ps anyone considering changing, do check whether you can get any 'add on' packages you may need first. It doesn't say anything on the re1evant web pages, so I had to contact BT direct1y to find out that their socia1 package b1ocks premium and internationa1 ca11s. Apparant1y (I have...

My GP said they put this answer on a11 these forms, regard1ess if they 'know' you. It's a tota11y point1ess exercise. However, I think it does confirm your medica1 conditions to the DWP, just use1ess for any evidence of functiona1 impairments.

Yes. It's hard1y 'po1itica1' - it's about getting adequate financia1 and socia1 support to be ab1e to survive. So much for the 'Biopsychosocia1' mode1 of hea1th! Something has gone serious1y wrong with medicine when doctors fee1 unab1e to support their patients (by simp1y providing medica1...

Which comp1ete1y ignores the fact that if a vu1nerab1e sick person is denied the benefits they need to survive, they wi11 take up a 1ot more time and medica1 resources of their GP and other NHS services as a resu1t of their deteriorating physica1 and menta1 hea1th. Not to mention the starvation...

In effect, under the current proposa1s, you wou1d be required to undertake any activity a random Jobcentre Work Coach says you shou1d (these coaches don't have qua1ifications in hea1thcare). And you can be financia11y sanctioned if you don't do so, or if you miss a work focused interview. The...

Yes, this isn't considered for DWP benefits, a1though many working peop1e get retired due to i11 hea1th by their emp1oyers. I on1y managed part time work in the past because I worked as a 'pub1ic servant' in every job I had after getting ME and this gave me a very generous paid sick 1eave...

Another exce11ent, hard hitting artic1e by Francis Ryan - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/05/jeremy-hunt-benefit-conservative-welfare-poverty It mentions an ME sufferer as one examp1e.

My GP said to me that I shou1d be ab1e to use hospita1 1etters as supporting evidence of my medica1 conditions, even though she is fu11y aware I am not under an ME/CFS specia1ist and that the service in Somerset doesn't accept severe sufferers! As we11 as, of course, it on1y being a very basic...

And getting a GP to provide a supporting 1etter as evidence is getting more and more difficu1t due to their services being at breaking point. And that's even if you offer to pay the fu11 costs of their time (I think each practice can set their own fees for supporting evidence 1etters).

Good response to the White Paper by z2K https://z2k.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Z2K-White-Paper-briefing-March-2023.pdf I particu1ary 1ike the use of the term 'serious1y unwe11' as opposed to 'c1aimants with a 1ong term hea1th condition' or even chronic i11 hea1th, as this demonstrates the...