Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a specialist NHS service to support those with very severe ME.

The Department, together with NHS England, has developed an e-learning programme to help support healthcare professionals in the treatment and care of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The programme consists of four modules, three of which have universal access, while the fourth is targeted at healthcare professionals. This programme includes two modules on ‘Managing Severe ME/CFS’, which also covers very severe ME/CFS, and the second version of this module for healthcare professionals addresses clinical approaches to severe and very severe ME/CFS. The e-learning is available at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

This e-learning, while not mandatory, is expected to support healthcare professionals, including in hospitals, deliver the right care for patients with severe and very severe ME/CFS. Additionally, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has produced evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of ME/CFS, including in hospitals, which are expected to be taken fully into account.

Additionally, ME/CFS: the final delivery plan, published in July 2025, included an action to consider whether a specialised service should be commissioned by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for very severe ME/CFS.