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  In practice, I saw patients with this condition and have seen the problems, which beset these

people, not only with their condition but also with medical services and the benefits agency.

I remember well when the benefit agency refused to accept this as a diagnosis and also at a

time when it was not an accepted diagnosis from a general practitioner.

 

 At a practical level I had contact with the local group for people with ME in my area and

was already developing links when an office bearer of that group approached Thea Stein,

the Board’s then Director of Health and Service Development.  My name therefore came

up as a suitable person to be clinical lead for ME in Dumfries and Galloway.

 

 I have felt that my remit has been to encourage good practice in relation to ME in the

health services in Dumfries and Galloway and to look at development of services.  As we are

a small area it has been vitally important for us to develop links elsewhere in the country and

I have been heavily involved in looking at the development of a national network.

 

 I am very grateful with the links that I have developed with MERGE and the 25% Group

and I am presently looking at the development of a Regional Clinical Network for ME between

NHS Lothian and ourselves.  I am also looking closely at the moment on how we can develop

services to support people with ME, as yet there is no specific curative treatment,

therefore we have to work hard at helping to support people who suffer from this very

disabling condition.

 

 

 

 

       Dr Gregor Purdie

 

 

 

 

 Dr Purdie Pictured above  (centre) at the  Reception

 I have been a General Practitioner in

Castle Douglas since 1983. This was

after Post Graduate training principally in

Dumfries and Edinburgh.  While as a

Junior Doctor in Dumfries I was asked by

a consultant to take a specific interest in

a patient with what we called

“Royal Free Disease”.

This name came about after cases of what we would now call ME were described in the

Royal Free Hospital in London.  I wrote up a case study on this patient and discussed the

The case with the Royal Free Hospital itself.  This is what generated my interest in this

 condition

I was very pleased to be invited to the recent reception.  It was a wonderful chance to

catch up with people as well as launch the information leaflet.  I have taken on board your

comments.  The leaflets are now going out to GP Surgeries throughout the region.

 

 I look forward to continuing to work closely with you all.

 

 Dr Gregor Purdie