At the beginning of June 2025 all indications were that Ministers fully intended publishing the oft-delayed Delivery Plan on ME/CFS “by the end of June 2025” and that the “… plan will focus on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.”
Yet, ME Research UK noted on 23rd June 2025 that two linked answers to parliamentary questions deviated from the timeline and that all the responsible Minister would commit to was that “We are developing a final delivery plan for ME/CFS, which we aim to publish soon.”
It would appear fears for a further delay were well founded. According to The Times and The Sunday Times (pay wall) on 28th June 2025,
The Times understands the ME initiative has been put on the back burner because the health secretary, Wes Streeting, is determined that nothing should distract from the promotion of his ten-year plan for the NHS.
It will be recalled that the Delivery Plan initiative was launched in May 2022 with no expectation it would take years to complete. There has been a litany of delay announcements – the most recent being in October 2024 when the commitment was to publish “in the winter of 2024/25”; by December 2024 the government’s aim was “… to publish by the end of March” and thereafter, it was by end of June 2025.
As for the contents of the Delivery Plan, the newspaper report makes depressing but not unexpected reading given that various answers to parliamentary questions already trailled a paucity of ambition which ignored the demands of charities and the outcome of the government’s own consultation process –
In a further blow to the hopes of ME patients, Streeting has also ruled out any new money for the delivery plan and rejected appeals for a ring-fenced fund to advance ME research. The plea for a specific funding resource was made in a letter signed by all 72 Liberal Democrat MPs. But the health secretary has written back saying ring fencing ME funding “goes against our commitment to open competition to ensure transparency and scientific excellence”.
The 10 year plan is due to be published w/c 30th June (unless delayed).
The 2 page (page 1 and page 2) to Liberal Democrats MPs shows that the Secretary for Health acknowledges that ME/CFS is an ‘under-researched area’ and that as of the date of his letter (13th June) the aim was to publish by the end of June but also that ME/CFS is not viewed alone in government thinking with phrases including ‘long-term conditions like ME/CFS’ or ME/CFS and Long Covid peppering the text. Plus, all hopes wihin government are pinned on deCodeME.
