ME sufferers across the district are calling for a specialist team to help them to beat their chronic fatigue.

Members of the Bradford and district ME Group have hit out at a lack of local expertise and claim people are waiting two years to see the nearest specialist in Leeds.

The call backs the findings of a national survey, which showed that nearly two out of three people nationally had received no advice from their GP on managing their illness, and specialists were involved in only 16 per cent of cases.

Bradford group leader Elizabeth Martin said she had been striving for expert help locally for five years.

She said: "There is nothing at all in Bradford. The first thing a lot of people need is diagnosis. The important thing about this illness is that if it's managed properly from an early stage, people have the best chance of improving. We know that specialist services are in other parts of the country and know they work. Why do we have this situation here?"

It is estimated there are 150,000 ME sufferers in the UK. Although little is understood about the illness, which can last for up to six years, symptoms include muscle pain, extreme exhaustion and headaches, and can leave sufferers bedridden. Victims have been highlighting the need for more research and understanding this week as part of a ME awareness campaign.

Sasha Tiffany, 23, of Odsal, who was diagnosed with the disease as a student, said there was nothing for her when she came back to Bradford to be with her family.

"I'm meant to be going to see the specialist in Leeds after having this for four years," she said.

"Specialists can help you to cope with things. You get so scared - you depend on other people both physically and psychologically."

Nutritional, counselling and exercise advice was essential, she added.

Bradford's public health director Dr Dee Kyle said the most important action was for primary care staff to be alert about the disease and to treat patients sympathetically, including referring sufferers to the specialist service.

She said: "We are fortunate in having the specialist service in Leeds and therefore we use that rather than trying to set up a local specialist service."We do our best to make sure that GPs in Bradford are aware of the service if they require it and also that they have access to ME Society information."

For more information on ME log on to our website, www.thisisbradford.co.uk, and follow the links to the Good Life Guide.

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