IT'S not surprising that myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), sufferers are 'terrified' of the new welfare reforms, according to a survey by Action for ME, which hasn't received the coverage proportionate to the effort it must have taken to compile, nor to the effects it will have upon the people with largely invisible and fluctuating chronic illnesses such as ME.

Things have got progressively worse with each government's tinkering over the last 20 years. Under Tony Blair, ministers who promised "work for those who can, security for those who can't", changed the name of the department, which pays out benefits, to the Department of Work and Pensions so there is no ministry with anything like 'social', 'security', or 'welfare' in its title.

Now, Gordon Brown's ministers have removed any reference to 'incapacity', 'disability', or 'illness', since Incapacity Benefit has been replaced by an Employment Support Allowance (ESA).

With its 'no-one written off' policy focusing on 'what people can do, rather than what they can't,' it is possible to argue that even the most severely disabled or most chronically ill person could do some kind of work — if only it were available. And there's the rub. Employers are always going to prefer suitably qualified candidates with an uninterrupted employment record and even these are struggling to find a job, as the recession bites.

It was bad enough for ME sufferers to be called for a medical assessment by an agency doctor, who had never seen the patient before, often didn't know their name and made a decision of suitability to work on the basis of a 15-minute appointment, with no follow-up, which is when incapacity is likely to be seen.

The vast majority of ME sufferers (79 per cent) say the existing process adversely affected their health and almost a half (48 per cent) had relapsed after it. Now, claimants will be summoned before non-medically qualified agency staff, with unrealistic targets to hit, who are even less aware of the fluctuating conditions of this illness. It may be that their failure rate will be greater than the two-thirds of decisions of fitness to work currently overturned on appeal, with all the costs which that entails.

ME sufferers will be among the guinea pigs of this new scheme to suffer, while ministers discover they are unable not unwilling to work.

Dr John H Greensmith ME Free For All.org 36a North Street Downend