From the NHS : OSCAR - Online Support and Clinical Advice Resource

[Arnie Pye]

I was just browsing this site today : https://my-oscar.nhs.uk/

And I clicked on the link for advice on Pain Management. This, unexpectedly, then leads to the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME) Care Pathway.

https://my-oscar.nhs.uk/care-pathways/pain-management/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-cfs-me-care-pathway

I haven't found any way of knowing that this page is where it is, other than by clicking on the link to Pain Management, which I thought was odd.

 

[Esther12]

The guide they link to is interesting.

https://my-oscar.nhs.uk/documents/cfsme-service-primary-care-info-leaflet.pdf

It has been suggested that about 20% of CFS/ME sufferers make a
full recovery, 60% make
improvement and 20% continue with long term symptoms.

Suggested by who? Based on what evidence?

It is important to foster therapeutic optimism in these patients, and encourage patients to
understand that the symptoms of the condition may be controlled and thereby increase
functioning and quality of life.

If patients believe that nothing can be done it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy with little or
no improvement with the passage of time alone. In addition, patients who feel there is little
hope of recovery tend to become despondent and prone to depressive illness.

Oh, I see it's one of those inspiring post-truth things. What a sophisticated understanding of the mind-body benefits of deceptive quackery they have.

 

[Sly Saint]

https://my-oscar.nhs.uk/documents/cfsme-service-primary-care-info-leaflet.pdf

"Leeds & West Yorkshire
CFS/ME Service
Monitoring Outcome of therapy
There is a National Outcome Database based in Bristol which collates anonymous therapy
outcome data from services across England. Leeds and West Yorkshire CFS/ME
Service has participated in this project from the outset, enabling us to benchmark the outcome of our
therapy, which has always been comparable or better on the number of outcome measures
monitored."

hmm

eta:
"
Biopsychosocial assessment and diagnosis led by Dr. Hiroko Akagi, Consultant
Liaison Psychiatrist and Clinical Lead.
There is also sessional input from a GP with a Special Interest in CFS/ME."

eta2:
"
Referrals for inpatient admission
–
Yorkshire Centre for Psychological Medicine
The in-patient element of the CFS/ME service is provided by the Yorkshire Centre for Psychological Medicine (YCPM) on Ward 40 at Leeds General Infirmary. This unit has facilities for inpatient assessment and rehabilitation of patients with severe CFS/ME.

 

[Arnie Pye]

The guide the link to is interesting.

https://my-oscar.nhs.uk/documents/cfsme-service-primary-care-info-leaflet.pdf

Suggest by who? Based on what evidence?

Oh, I see it's one of those inspiring post-truth things. What a sophisticated understanding of the mind-body benefits of deceptive quackery they have.

I noticed the almost complete lack of references.

I'm also unclear why the CFS/ME pathway is hidden under Pain Management, with no clues to the fact it is even there.

I only posted about this, by the way, because people need to know what others are reading that may be complete rubbish.

 

[TiredSam]

If patients believe that nothing can be done it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy with little or no improvement with the passage of time alone.

Well thank goodness it's possible to replace a negative self-fullfilling prophecy with a positive one:

It is important to foster therapeutic optimism in these patients, and encourage patients to understand that the symptoms of the condition may be controlled and thereby increase functioning and quality of life.

I first read about positive self-fullfilling prophecies from this book, which was kindly recommended to me by anonymous and unsolicited letter in 1983:

Amazon product ASIN B001GQGCD6
As an open-minded and optimistic 17-year old, I ordered the book from America and waited 6 weeks for it to arrive by surface mail.

Unfortunately I never have managed to become a millionaire, but as the book says, I'm probably not doing it right and should just keep trying. After all, it's only been 34 years. Joe Karbo was a millionaire (90% of his business was selling a book) so his method obviously works. Here's the man himself:



It's great to see the science of self-fullfilling prophecies incorporated into NHS treatment advice. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have worked for the last 30 years either, but we're obviously doing it wrong and should just keep trying. Thankfully there is a Joe Karbo of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (he's made a fortune from it) who is prepared to guide us: