Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) services in Scotland: health board survey - updated analysis
Findings from a survey of 14 NHS boards on service provision for ME/CFS, and barriers and opportunities for implementing the NICE guideline for ME/CFS locally. This is an update on survey responses that were published in spring 2023
4. Methodology
A scoping, qualitative survey was first issued to Medical Directors in all NHS Boards on 3 October 2022. An email was sent to respondents in July 2024 with a request to provide details of any relevant amendments or updates to their previous survey response. The survey contained questions about local services available for people with ME/CFS in their NHS Board, implementation of the NICE guidelines, plans for providing ME/CFS services, and any additional information they would like to share. The full questionnaire can be found in Appendix One.
Scottish Government social researchers analysed the survey responses and authored this report. The free-text responses were analysed using a qualitative thematic approach in Microsoft Excel. Excel was chosen as preferred method due to the manageable number of responses received. The information was coded to match themes from the previous report and any emerging themes from new and updated responses, and then grouped together for the discussion of results, below.
4.1 Limitations
The returns provided by NHS Boards who participated in this survey provide a snapshot of services for people with ME/CFS that were in place or planned as at July 2024. The analysis therefore does not capture any developments in services or support that have occurred since Summer 2024.
All questions within this survey were optional, and as referenced in the report, not all NHS Boards answered every question, with responses varying in the level of detail provided. An analysis of change over time was also limited to NHS Boards that responded to both the first and second iteration of the survey. As a result, the national picture of services and changes over time presented is incomplete.
It must also be noted that responses are likely to have been impacted by the resources available to complete the survey given the ongoing nature of the pressure and demand facing NHS services in 2024.
Contact
Email: socialresearch@gov.scot
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