Classification of CFS by (UK) Home Office

[charles shepherd]

Home Office circular relating to the UK police service lists CFS in the mental health section, along with factitious and somatoform illnesses:

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/201...ce-the-classification-is-wrong-30-march-2015/

 

[Valentijn]

Home Office circular relating to the UK police service lists CFS in the mental health section, along with factitious and somatoform illnesses:

I wonder what they based that classification upon.

 

[Esther12]

I wonder what they based that classification upon.

It would be nice to find out their reasoning and the names of those responsible.

 

[Revel]

So if I'm arrested for lamping the author(s) of this circular, may I plead insanity ?

 

[sarah darwins]

I wonder what they based that classification upon

I'll wager they got it from the the Department for Work and Pensions (who will say they got it from NICE, who got it from the Department of Health, who got it from a working group at the Home Office ... etc. etc. .. Kafka lives).

One way and another, the usurping of "ME" with "CFS" in the UK seems like a runaway train.

Based on the extract on that page, that Home Office circular looks like an entirely pointless document. Quite aside from the CFS characterisation, it doesn't actually say anything that would help anyone make a decision about anything. Unfortunately, much of our reality is shaped by pieces of paper like that one, penned by unknown hands in anonymous offices. Depressing, isn't it.

 

[Richie]

How can sth with overwhelmingly physical symptoms and no convincing psychogenic aetiology be described as mental?
Even central fatigue and pain from a phantom limb, where there is no limb to cause the pain is considered physical conditions, aren't they?

 

[alex3619]

How can sth with overwhelmingly physical symptoms and no convincing psychogenic aetiology be described as mental?

The psychogenic fallacy, which I blogged on a few years back. If you don't know what it is it must be mental.

To which I reply: oh, like tuberculosis, epilepsy, diabetes, all cancers, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, peptic ulcers etc.? This jumping to conclusions has a long history of being wrong, and never once been demonstrated to be right.

 

[snowathlete]

Home Office circular relating to the UK police service lists CFS in the mental health section, along with factitious and somatoform illnesses:

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/201...ce-the-classification-is-wrong-30-march-2015/

Thanks for bringing to our attention. As well as this obviously needing to be corrected, it is important to understand who wrote this guidance, and to take steps to ensure that mistakes like these are not repeated.

 

[Sean]

That really is appallingly fraudulent and reckless advice. Difficult to imagine anything more damaging and dangerous, particularly on top of the vicious propaganda campaign in the UK against the disabled and social security generally.

Anybody still in any doubt about the ethics of these violent scumbags? They would rather actively destroy what is left of the already trashed lives of sick, vulnerable, innocent people, than admit they are wrong. Cowardly arse-covering filth of the lowest kind.

Whomever gave that advice should be exposed and hounded from the profession and society.

If ever there was a reason for every reputable clinician and researcher in this field to take a firm public stand against the UK psychobabblers, this is it. Blitz the UK government & media with the strongest condemnations possible.

 

[AndyPandy]

Deeply disappointing