England and Wales
In 2007, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published a clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of CFS/M.E. for NHS healthcare professionals in England and Wales.
The Quick Reference Guide, most commonly used by GPs, tells healthcare professionals that they should “acknowledge the reality and impact of the condition and the symptoms” and that “shared decision-making between the person with CFS/ME and healthcare professionals should take place during diagnosis and all phases of care.”
Scotland
In Scotland, pending the production of equivalent guidance from the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), the Scottish Government Health Directorate (SGHD) commissioned Action for M.E. to facilitate the production of a Good Practice Statement for healthcare professionals, a Quick Reference Guide for GPs and an introductory leaflet for patients.
NHS guidelines represent an important step forward in supporting the diagnosis and treatment of symptoms but, as with other guidelines and definitions, they remain controversial.
