Partnership Working
At Salus, we work closely with health professionals to our mutual advantage. We have enabled a range of practitioners to increase their understanding and build their capacity to support people with CFS/ME/FMS. For example GPs and health professionals have changed their approach to recognising early signs, diagnosing and referral. At the same time we have been able to offer an improved service for beneficiaries by influencing attitudes and the understanding of a wider community of interest. This in turn is having a lasting impact on beneficiaries when they leave the project for example by our working with different departments across all local hospitals. Our personal development planning process includes a ‘what next’ discussion and we have ensured that beneficiaries have an extended range of networks in place for accessing additional support on a personal, financial and health level.
We will continue to further strengthen our local networks and relationships, in order to share ideas, knowledge and evidence. Bringing services together leads to an enhanced, more joined-up provision for our beneficiaries and helps us to achieve our project outcomes.We are open to and engage readily with new approaches.
We have built good working relationships with diverse groups and organisations which enables us to continually improve our service, reach more people and support others to develop their own ideas and practice. For example our partnership work with Birmingham Healthy Minds has been shown to enhance their limited NHS funded provision, enabling beneficiaries to receive a wider range of on-going support through referral to Salus.
Currently in partnership with GrowthStep Ltd | Wellbeing Accelerator at Sheffield Hallam University | Barclays Bank| Talk Health | Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
Salus Fatigue Foundation Endorsement list
You can refer to Salus Fatigue Foundation safe in the knowledge that our organisation has been endorsed by a wide range of health professionals.
Medical organisations/professional people:
Dr Christine Lloyd – on our board of trustees
Consultant Dr A Huissoon – Heartlands Hospital & Park Way hospital including the immunology and pathology teams.
NHS Birmingham Healthy Minds South/ Central / North groups – two-way referral pathway
Clinical Commissioning Group:
Sandwell & West Birmingham
GPS and Consultants
ME or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME) or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is an increasingly common illness. In a general practice with 10,000 patients it is likely there are 40 patients with the diagnosis. It is a complex illness with many different symptoms. The cause and disease process is not understood and the difficulty & challenge for health professions is that there is no standard way of treating patients.
It is diagnosed after 4 months (in adults) of new-onset, unexplained fatigue, and a variety of other symptoms which may include the flowing :- disturbed sleep pattern, muscle +/- joint pains, headaches, painful lymph nodes, recurrent sore throat, cognitive dysfunction, dizziness & nausea, palpitations.
NICE guidelines recommend a pathway for investigation of patients presenting with these symptoms.
An early diagnosis is helpful because patients who are diagnosed promptly have a better chance of recovery.
General management strategies include:
Symptom management, sleep management, advice about regular rest periods, relaxation advice, dietary advice, education and employment advice.
Patients with ME/CFS are often very sensitive to the drugs prescribed by doctors and suffer many side effects. It is recommended to start medication at a lower dose than usual and increase gradually. Many people are able to recover without traditional medication.
Having the support of people both who have recovered from this illness and who are in the process of recovering is of great importance to patients. It gives them hope that they can feel better and strategies to try that have worked for others. Salus Fatigue Foundation can offer both support and education in managing the symptoms of ME/CFS.
At Salus we have produced our GP Referral Form.If you have a patient who you feel may benefit from this service or you would like more information yourself please contact us. Email: info@salus.org.uk
GPS and consultants
Information for practitioners
Whatever your area of practice, Salus Fatigue Foundation can offer a supporting service for your patients, their families, friends or carers affected by ME/CFS and fatigue related conditions.
Our own network of professionals provides advice, support and education through our online platforms.
We support people to be responsible for their own health and wellbeing through a self-management approach and our education include subjects such as nutrition, pacing, sleep strategies, immune support, stress and pain management. Our wellbeing education include relaxation and meditation, Pilates and how our thinking influences our lives.
We elicit and analyse people’s views and feedback for all our services.
We invite you to refer your patients and their family/carers to us for the extra support they need, knowing you are placing your trust in an established organisation experienced in supporting people with fatigue related conditions. Salus is run by people who themselves have effectively managed their own health and wellbeing whilst living with ME/CFS, enabling us to develop and provide our services with empathy and a deeper understanding.
Here at Salus Fatigue Foundation we wish to build strong connections within the framework of the various organisations and practitioners supporting people with fatigue related conditions. Please get in touch if you require any further information. Email: info@salus.org.uk
