New ME/CFS clinic opens in Aylsham

A new clinic has opened in Aylsham offering advice and support to people with ME/CFS, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome.

The service has been commissioned by NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group and will be run by East Coast Community Healthcare (ECCH). It will be based at Aylsham Care Trust Centre in St Michael’s Avenue and will operate every Thursday and Friday from 9am to 4pm.

The clinics will offer face to face appointments with an occupational therapist, as well as advice and support via email, telephone and, in a small number of cases, home visits.

The symptoms of ME/CFS typically include a feeling of unusual and excessive tiredness that is characteristically made much worse after any activity. The fatigue is usually both physical and mental. Other symptoms can include un-refreshing sleep, swollen lymph glands, headaches, muscle and joint pain.

People can to be referred to the service by their GP. Patients aged under 16 must also be under the care of a paediatrician.

ECCH Director of Operations Adele Madin said: “We are delighted to be able to provide a new service in the Aylsham area to support people with this debilitating condition. It means we can offer people in the north Norfolk area a service closer to their homes and work with them to find strategies that will help them achieve improvement in their condition and establish and maintain a better quality of life.”

Cath Byford, Lead Director for Great Yarmouth and Waveney CCG said: “the additional service will improve access for patients who will be able to attend a clinic in a location more convenient for them,”

ECCH now runs four ME/CFS clinics across Norfolk in Kings Lynn, Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Aylsham.