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Our Team:
- Administrators
- Occupational therapists
- Physiotherapists
- Psychologists
- Assistant Psychologist
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Share your story on Care Opinion. The independent NHS feedback site on which we read and respond to all stories.
The Bedfordshire Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Service is a specialist multi-disciplinary fatigue management service.
We support people living with Myalgia Encephalomyelitis (ME)/CFS in Bedfordshire to understand and improve management of their symptoms.
We work in collaboration with our service users, with the aim to improve quality of life and work towards increased engagement in meaningful and valued activities. We are a service for adults, therefore we only support individuals aged 18 and over.
Our specialist team works closely with GPs to establish a diagnosis.
Our experience tells us that providing dedicated time to understanding and make sense of our patients symptoms is an important part of recovery; all patients will receive a feedback appointment following a multidisciplinary assessment.
For some people a diagnosis of ME/CFS is not indicated, and these circumstance, patients are offered a feedback appointment and signposting to the most appropriate services.
For those diagnosed with ME/CFS, this service offers treatment that is in line with the current NICE guidelines for ME/CFS. Our tailored multi-disciplinary approach includes, specialist Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Psychology.
Where are we?
Maps and directions for our locations are below on this page.
This includes our main base Mountbatten House in Dunstable, our clinic in Kempston, the Enhanced Sercices Centre and Shefford clinic.
Mountbatten House
56 High Street South
Dunstable, Bedfordshire
LU6 3HD
United Kingdom
Our Team:
We do not accept self-referrals.
You will need to be referred by your GP. At this time, the service is open to patients with a Bedfordshire GP (Excluding Luton).
Once your referral has been accepted by the service, you will be contacted and offered an assessment appointment.
Mountbatten House
56 High Street South, Dunstable, LU6 3HD
> Directions on Google Maps
Tel: 0345 602 4064
There is pay & display car parking at Ashton Square Car Park (5 minute walk), Matthew Street Car Park (5 minute walk), you can also pay at these via an app called ‘Just Park’. There is also parking at NCP The Quadrant Dunstable Car Park (6 minute walk).
There is a bus stop (S3) at the square, which is directly outside the building.
Service routes 40A, 40, 43, 231 and Route B stop at this site.
For details of public transport links please visit Public Transport Central Bedfordshire.
Shefford Health Centre
Robert Lucas Drive, Hitchin Road, Shefford SG17 5FS
> Directions on Google Maps
Tel: 0345 602 4064
There is parking available for all people attending appointments. This is at the health centre.
There is a bus stop on Robert Lucas Drive, which is located just outside Shefford Health Centre. For more information on Public Transport links please visit Public Transport Central Bedfordshire.
Upon arrival, you will need to sign in at the Bedfordshire Community Health Services reception, which will be on your right as you enter. You will be directed upstairs to the waiting room where the clinician.
Enhanced Services Centre (ESC)
3 Kimbolton Road, Bedford, MK40 2NT (Next to Gilbert Hitchcock House)
> Directions on Google Maps
Tel: 0345 602 4064
There is free parking on site for service users at the front and side of the building. There are 8 blue badge spaces.
There is a nearby bus stop, 0.1 mile from the building (Bedford Hospital North Wing). This is shown by the yellow arrow on the map. The bus numbers include 7, 21, 28, 28A and 28E
Kempston Clinic
Halsey Rd, Kempston, MK42 8AU
> Directions on Google Maps
Tel: 01234 310333
Kempston Clinic is in Halsey Rd which runs behind a small parade of shops on the main road through Kempston. Halsey Rd is on the right side of the road if coming from the direction of Bedford town centre and is just past Addison Howard Park.
Halsey Rd is a short road and Kempston Clinic is behind a high hedge between a school and a residential home.
Sat Nav Postcode is MK42 8AU
The clinic has its own free car park for service users.
Myalgia Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a complex condition characterised by four key symptoms:
Cognitive Difficulties. This can be described as ‘brain fog’. People often describe difficulties with word finding, short-term memory, concentration and multi-tasking.
The onset of ME/CFS has commonly been found to follow an infection episode or precedes negative and stressful life events. Current research suggests that a dysregulation of several systems in our bodies could explain the range of symptoms individuals with ME/CFS experience.
ME/CFS is a diagnosis of exclusion therefore before diagnosing an individual with CFS it is important to find out whether there are any other reasons that could explain the fatigue and associated symptoms.
If you think that you might have ME/CFS, please visit your GP who will complete a medical review, and if appropriate can refer you to our service. A medical review from your GP is required as part of the referral, and the information requested will inform the assessment and diagnosis process carried out by the specialist ME/CFS team.
You can find out more about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome on the NHS website.
After receiving a referral from your GP, you will receive a registration pack and then be invited to attend a 90-minute individual assessment at one of our clinics.
Prior to attending, you will receive a pre-treatment questionnaire pack via email from our Assistant Psychologist. These questionnaires help us to further understand your symptoms and their impact on different areas of your life.
We will conduct a multi-disciplinary assessment with two clinicians. You will be invited to tell us about the current symptoms you are experiencing.
We will ask you about how your symptoms are influencing different areas of your life including, work, social occasions, personal care and your mood. We will talk about the onset of your fatigue and ask about any illnesses or stressful life events preceding your symptoms.
Following your assessment, the information you have shared with us will be discussed at our multi-disciplinary team meeting, where we will determine the outcome of the assessment.
You will then be invited to attend a second appointment where we feedback to you the outcome of your assessment and whether the specialist team support the diagnosis of ME/CFS. In addition, we will discuss your treatment options going forward.
If you do not meet criteria for ME/CFS we will help you to make sense of your fatigue and signpost your to the most appropriate services.
Living with Myalgia Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) can be challenging. Current research tells us that there are multiple dynamic systems contributing to the symptoms of ME/CFS and that there is not a direct treatment that will fix the problems.
However, it is possible to work with you to help identify factors that contribute to the dysregulation of the system and implement strategies which can help improve stability and healing.
We take an individualised and multi-disciplinary approach to treatment and work with our patients, which includes:
Below are some helpful Resources and links
CFS/ME Information and Charities:
The ME Association
Action for M.E.
BACME
Talking Therapies and Emotional Wellbeing
Bedfordshire Talking Therapies
Recovery College
Living Life to the Full
Total Wellbeing, Luton: Emotional Wellbeing Webinars
Pain
Pain Management NHS
Pain Management Videos
Energy management
Lift Up Your Everyday
Sleep
Sleep advice from Every Mind Matters
NHS self-help tips
Occupational therapy advice for improving your sleep
Intimacy
Occupational therapy advice for relationships and intimacy
Finances and Work
Citizens Advice Mid-Bedfordshire
Citizens Advice Bedford
Disability Resource Centre
Turn 2 Us
ACAS
Action for ME – Work
Carers Support
Carers in Beds
Central Bedfordshire Council support for carers
Equality and Diversity
Our Trust's approach to equality and diversity
Our referral form can be found on Ardens within Systm One.
It is located under BLMK, Community O, and its the 'Chronic Fatigue Service V3' form.