I will be included in this assessment. Attended a CFS/ME Clinic from Jan 2014- discharged early Jan 2015
‘Self reported current employment status’ - well my Clinician was involved in at least 3 letters to and fro with a local Occupational Health Consultant, who was acting on behalf of my employer.
They say "The early involvement of occupational health practitioners is recommended to maximize the chances of maintaining employment." - Not seen any good evidence for any intervention intended to improve employment outcomes for CFS though.
Due to strict HR rules within the civil service, I had mandatory reviews all through the Sickness Absence period, both with my manager(s) [supported by my Union rep] and with independent medical staff, first with a G.P. and then three meetings with the above Occ Health Consultant from the local hospital (employed by the Occ Health business employed by the civil service).
The very first hurdle I would have had to overcome, was to actually get to work (50-60 min journey there by car in rush hour, 30-35 min journey home).
Despite OH assistance, all the way through the procedure, they did not enable me to return to work, not even to phased return.
No surprises at all - sicker patients less able to work, and not surprisingly those who had to give up work were more depressed or anxious - I suggest the researchers try being ill and having to negotiate the benefits system, live on a lot less money, lose their sense of self worth etc and see how depressed and anxious they get.
And the conclusion that occupational health and psychotherapy will improve this situation is pure speculation and shouldn't be included.
Try someone who had been hospitalised by Sepsis, followed by an CFS/ME diagnosis (who had already had PVFS 12 years earlier).
I admitted to being very anxious about my health, my job (which I loved and had received recent ‘outstanding’ reports), our financial situation, two teenagers and a greyhound, OH bearing the burden, our mortgage, moving to half pay, then no pay. As
@Trish said, no wonder I was anxious - I was not depressed - but, even if I had been, it would not have been surprising.
"We assessed cross-sectional data from patients attending a UK specialist CFS treatment service between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2014."
majority of ME patients (moderate to severe) would not be able to attend so it's hardly a representative sample.
When first diagnosed (even having had PVFS), you still do not realise the strain you put your body through to get to clinic.
Not until Tribunal put me into Support Group ESA July 2015 (Sepsis August 2013) did I even realise that the whole sickness procedure, attending clinic and coping with U.K. benefits system had been severely affecting my M.E. My slight improvements began in 2016.
DWP/NHS (not sure which) have a contract with a company that helps with advice about return to work and can take this on so the GP doesn’t have to have any discussions with employer. Basically it’s just some people in a call centre.
http://fitforwork.org/
Which is a subsidiary of this group
https://www.maximusuk.co.uk/
At one point, I contacted “Access to Work” as I understood that you could get funding to ease your journey if you were considered disabled or on a phased return to work. In 2014, they offered to pay for a taxi from home to the local railway station. I would then have had to commute by train (short 10 min journey), then walk to office (2mins). The stress of attempting to co-ordinating a taxi, train, walk option would have been worse than driving myself!
The moral of this tale is I had OH ‘support’.
Despite initial concerns, the doctors I saw were actually good, kind and helpful.
I had no exercises/counselling or household aids provided (which may, or may not, have helped)
The CFS/ME Clinic actually wrote decent explanatory letters (later used as evidence for benefits).
I was dismissed from work.
I still have M.E.
