Benefits Assessment of ME or CFS

The request was successful.

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

Please supply me with a copy of all updates to the following documents, made available by you 1 Nov. 2010,
in response to prior FOI request.

FoI 2812 01.11.10.doc
47K Download View as HTML

328 ESA Handbook MED ESAHB 001 V4.doc
4.5M Download View as HTML

CFS ME Version 1 Final.doc
163K Download View as HTML

Chronic Fatigue MED S2 CMEP 0017 Mod 6 V4.doc
197K Download View as HTML

MED CMEP 0087 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CFS and Fibromalgia 2 Final.doc
517K Download View as HTML

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/49...

Please also supply any new information that relates to benefits and ME/CFS.

Thank you.
C. Nelson

DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been received at the DWP Central FoI Team.

We will forward your request to the relevant information owner within the
Department who will respond to you direct. 

Should you also have any further queries in connection with this request
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[1]http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

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DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

2 Attachments

Dear Connie Nelson

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated 31 October 2011
that was received by Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Adelphi and
forwarded for response by the DWP Commercial Management of Medical
Services Freedom of Information Officer.

In your email you asked to be provided with the following information:-

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

Please supply me with a copy of all updates to the following documents,
made available by you 1 Nov. 2010, in response to prior FOI request. FoI
2812 01.11.10.doc 47K Download View as HTML;
* 328 ESA Handbook MED ESAHB 001 V4.doc 4.5M Download View as
HTML;
* CFS ME Version 1 Final.doc 163K Download View as HTML;
* Chronic Fatigue MED S2 CMEP 0017 Mod 6 V4.doc 197K Download View
as HTML;
* MED CMEP 0087 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CFS and Fibromalgia 2
Final.doc 517K Download View as HTML

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/49...
2/FoI%202812%2001.11.10.doc.html

* Please also supply any new information that relates to benefits
and ME/CFS.

In answer to your request there has not been updates issued in relation
to CFS ME Version 1 Final.doc, or the Employment Support Allowance
Handbook, there has however been a supplementary handbook issued to
approved Health Care Professionals (HCPs) which is the Work Capability
Assessment Handbook which can be found at
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/speci....

No further additional guidance on ME/CFS has been issued since 1
November 2010 to HCPs.

Please find attached as requested revised copies of the Continuing
Medical Education Programme for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) -
Guidelines for the Disability Analyst and the Training & Development
Learning Set for CFS & Fibromyalgia (MED-CMEP/ODMMSLS-0087) which have
been reviewed since 1 November 2010.

Most documents produced by the DWP and/or Atos Healthcare will be
protected by Crown Copyright. Most Crown copyright information can be
re-used under the Open Government Licence
(http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/o...). For
information about the OGL and about re-using Crown Copyright information
please see The National Archives website
-http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/infor...
ing-framework.htm .

Copyright in other documents may rest with a third party. For
information about obtaining permission from a third party see the
Intellectual Property Office's website at www.ipo.gov.uk.
If you have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,

DWP Central FoI Team

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A R Collingwood left an annotation ()

I realise this is a bit off-topic but anyone suffering from ME/CFS should be aware that their problem may be a thyroid-related disorder that is treatable. If you haven't had one, it would be worth asking your GP to test your TSH, free T4 and T3 and also your thyroid antibodies and when you get the results don't be fobbed off by being told they're normal. For most people, the TSH should be around 0.5 to 1.5. If it isn't in this range you may well have a problem even though the laboratory reference range is typically 0.5 to 5. Likewise, the T3 and T4 results should be in the upper quartile of the laboratory reference ranges - not at the lower ends.