RCOT statement
“The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) hope that the decision taken by the National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence (NICE) to delay publishing its updated guidelines on the diagnosis and management of Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), will allow the developers time to fully consider and address the strong views and feedback received from professionals and patient groups.
“First and foremost, RCOT advocates a personalised and occupation-based approach. As stated in the response to the draft guideline consultation, occupational therapists are key professionals in the assessment and support of individuals with ME/CFS, and are trained and qualified in all areas of activity analysis and management.
“Occupational therapists have significant expertise leading and delivering well-established, specialist ME/CFS teams. They support people with ME/CFS through individualised, occupation-focused interventions, rather than prescriptive approaches.
“As work on the delayed guidelines progresses, it is crucial for NICE to keep the lived experience of people with ME/CFS at the forefront of discussions. They must recognise and draw upon the expertise of all professional groups involved in the management and support of individuals living with the condition.
“RCOT hopes the final recommendations from NICE will lead to further research in this area; people living with ME/CFS struggle to get the advice and support they need through local healthcare provision. RCOT look forward to engaging in further consultation with NICE to ensure the final guideline recommendations can be supported in practice.”