Do you know if restricting tests to a minimum for suspected cases of CFS is an actual government policy? Or just what the BPS Movement recommends?
No, I don't, but I would not be surprised if that would be uncovered to be be NHS policy. I have not looked into it much, but I've seen glimpses in The Netherlands of MUS briefings for I believe our version of the DWP where the same types of advice are given. I strongly suspect doctors are also officially encouraged to do little testing and GP's to act as gatekeepers in The Netherlands. But, as I said, I have not expressly looked into it, so I don't know. (I do think it should be looked into though. And that there should be a place where people can report "MUS" misdiagnoses.)
It seems bizarre and risky to advocate little testing for any suspected disease, which at first look may be what patients have when they visit their doctor regarding fatigue and/or pain.
This is how we end up with a notable number misdiagnosed with "cfs" or ME, when eventually it's found they have cancer, Parkinson's, MS etc.
This indeed. It is purposeful medical neglect stemming from advise based on personal ideology and interests. (I turned out to have Lyme Disease with a lot of stuff that comes with that like Addisonlike symptoms, and a relative died horribly from bowel cancer because exactly this sort of gatekeeping by her GP, who continuously only wanted to refer her to a psychologist until it was too late.

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There don't seem to be any legal repercussions for making these misdiagnoses.
Throughout history medicine and psychiatry have left a broad, terrible trail of "oopsies" that has caused horror from mismanagement and neglect for the patients involved (the majority of whom were women). It's a pattern, and up to this point I don't think it has ever lead to acknowledgement, taking responsibility or introspection; not per instance and certainly not on the fact that it
is a pattern. Which means the same mistakes or opportunistic use of this "memory loss" keep being repeated. I think it is high time that it is discussed and changes made, and there are glimpses here and there that this topic is rising to the public consciousness, as people, mostly women, are starting to write about it these last years.
Accountability and introspection in this area would be new, but could happen. We are living after all in interesting times.
I've looked up "clinical assessment". I'm not at my computer right now, but what immediately popped up was "clinical assessment" for suspected psychological conditions. The definition I saw included looking at all realms of the patient's situation. We know that's not how it has been played.
I wish they would stop doing that nonsense. When someone has neurological symptoms and popping blood vessels, or when a woman has severe and/or debilitating abdominal pain combined with odd blood loss issues, it does not matter one flying...er...fjord... how it's going at her job and if she had any quarrels with her relatives lately.
Here is the article I've mentioned. I've posted it some time ago too. It was amazing, and yet shouldn't have been to see the percentages for misdiagnosis with CFS or ME. One scientific paper noted 40% of patients, and the second one noted 54% of people as having been misdiagnosed with ME:
https://www.meresearch.org.uk/research/other-resources/misdiagnosis-on-a-grand-scale/
Thank you for looking it up.
