Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support patients with overlapping conditions such as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Long Covid, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder, Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS), and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS).

The Department recognises the complex needs of people living with overlapping conditions such as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), long COVID, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobility spectrum disorders, postural tachycardia syndrome, and mast cell activation syndrome. Our approach focuses on improving care coordination and access to appropriate services.

For ME/CFS, we have published a cross-government final delivery plan, which sets out actions to boost research, improve professional education, and enhance support for daily living, including community-based services and better benefit assessments. While the plan is specific to ME/CFS, it acknowledges overlaps with other complex, multi-system disorders and commits to exploring synergies during implementation.

Additionally, the 10-Year Health Plan aims to transform services and outcomes for people living with complex conditions by prioritising integrated, personalised care. The plan focuses on earlier diagnosis and promotes multidisciplinary teams and community-based services to deliver coordinated support closer to home, reducing reliance on hospital care. Digital innovations, including remote monitoring and personalised care planning, will help manage long-term conditions more effectively. The Plan also commits to 95% of people with complex needs to have a personalised care plan by 2027. Personalised care plans will improve support for people with complex needs by ensuring that care is tailored to the individual and coordinated across services.

In addition, research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research into post-viral syndromes and autonomic disorders will help improve understanding autonomic dysfunction and overlapping conditions, accelerate innovation and deliver evidence-based care for patients with complex, multi-system health needs.