Heartfelt Thanks to TOCG for the NICE CFS/ME JR Review 2 August 2009 Lara, Health Advocate
The Royal Courts of Justice
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to TOCG for the enormous amount of hard work that they put in over several years in preparing the case for Judicial Review of the NICE CFS/ME Guidelines. The planning and effort that went in to preparing for the JR was incredibly thorough and painstaking, and it is a great pity indeed that in the period before, during and after the court hearing, One Click had to endure such malfeasance from other parties, as described in the recently published account 'How The Judicial Review Of The CFS/ME NICE Guidelines Was Lost'.
It is quite astonishing not to mention disappointing to me, that members of the so-called `ME/CFS community' who purport to be working so hard in the community's best interests, could try so hard to pull the wheels of another group's campaign to get justice for so many ill and desperate people. In doing so, they made a terrible mess, which cannot now be repaired, with consequences that lead to the very organisation that needed chastisement – NICE, being able to play the injured party.
It is however, inspirational that One Click's case was so meticulously put together and that Dr Malcolm Kendrick's testimony has been described, rightly by a former NHS GP: Dr Rita Pal, as `probably the highlight of the event'. A glowing reference, and a clear reflection of the professionalism and expertise with which the One Click case was constructed and delivered.
So for me, the take home message in all of this is that while this one case may have been lost, there is hope for the future. If patient communities do unite behind pressure groups with the competence and skills to handle a Judicial Review process, as One Click has demonstrated, change for the good is a distinct possibility. Again, my very sincere thanks to Jane and Ben Bryant and all the pledgers and supporters who helped to bring the case against the NICE CFS/ME guidelines, I salute you all.
Lara Health Advocate
************* Related Links: * How The Judicial Review Of The CFS/ME NICE Guidelines Was Lost Jane Bryant, The One Click Group * NICE And Their Irrational CFS/ME Guidelines Dr Rita Pal, NHS - Behind The Headlines *************
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