Follow-up letter to NHSIA regarding correction of CFS classification in MHMDS
Posted 8th April 2004
Following the NHS Information Authority's (NHSIA) acceptance that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has been classified incorrectly in the Mental Health Minimum Data Set (MHMDS), Dr Shepherd has written again to Mr Steven Harrison, Head of Corporate Affairs at the NHSIA, requesting that notification of the change be communicated in particular to the Chief Medical Officers of insurance companies, and that an announcement of the change be made on the NHSIA website.
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6 April 2004 Your ref: SH/JKW Mr Steven Harrison Dear Mr Harrison Re: NHS Information Authority Classification of CFS Following the resolution of our formal complaint about the inaccurate classification of CFS by the NHSIA in the Mental Health Minimum Data Set, The ME Association was pleased to learn from one of our members that you now intend to contact the Association of NHS Occupational Health Physicians and the NHS Pensions Agency to make them aware of the actions that have been taken. With the inaccurate classification of both ME and CFS as mental disorders still causing frequent problems in relation to the refusal of insurance companies to agree to claims for sickness and disability policies, we believe it would be extremely helpful if you could also write to the Chief Medical Officers at these companies to ensure that they, too, are aware that the NHS Information Authority (and the Department of Health) fully accepts that ME and CFS are classified as neurological disorders under G93.3 in WHO ICD 10. And it would also be helpful if the NHSIA website could make an announcement about this classification in the 'What's New' section on the homepage. Yours sincerely Dr Charles Shepherd ME Association Website: http://www.meassociation.org.uk |