Birmingham NEC May 2005

The Nottingham & East Midlands Fibromyalgia Support Group Chair, Dave Webster, Group Membership Secretary Michael Jones and his wife Florrie along with Awareness Co-ordinator of the Nottingham Group, Christine Brown, attended the two day professional medical convention that recently took place at the NEC.

It gives me great pleasure to report that the response we received from the professionals was overwhelming. Our impression that the medical profession are not interested in Fibromyalgia was well and truly dispensed with. We had taken various specific information with us,  Rheumatology, Physiotherapy, Surgeons, Dentists, Neurologists, OB / GYN, Mental Health, Endocrinologists, Cardiologists, Opticians, Dentists, Pharmacists, Keys to Diagnosis and Treatment and one for Carers. Over 900 copies of this information was taken from the stand along with over 200 “What is Fibromyalgia” leaflets, 200 “About our Group” leaflets, 50 copies of the UK book list, hundreds of the UK GP Flyer (specifically produced for GP’s by the Association) 50 copies of the Nottingham Group press release and many enquiries for support and help lines around the country. I would like to thank our fibromyalgia colleagues from the Black Country Group,Alwyn, secretary of the group who braved it both days, Susanne, the Chair of the group and Janet, Vice Chair who dealt with enquiries and gave out requests for their own group information, without the support of Susanne and Alwyn on the first day of the convention we would not have been able to talk with everyone and deal with every enquiry, thank you to you all, due to their support not one enquiry was missed. 

We had comments from GP’s that we were not getting the information out to them, we were not getting information to Physiotherapists, in fact we had this comment from many areas within the NHS. If this event is used as a gauge as to what appeared to be an overall picture, we need to send or take far more Fibromyalgia information out to the professionals, nationwide. I had two GP’s request that I approach a Consultant, on their behalf, and ask him to make a presentation to local GP’s in his area on “What is Fibromyalgia” how to diagnose it and what to do with the patient, this was only one of many similar comments! We had GP’s asking us about Fibromyalgia, about what we offer as support groups and what could they do with their patients, we did not receive any negative feedback at all!  The Nottingham Group have booked for next year, this time the stand is 2 x larger and I took note of what information was in short supply or information areas that were missing altogether. I have a work plan, a stand plan and the weak spots have vanished. I would like to thank Dave, Michael and Florrie who support the awareness agendas that I continuously come up with, thank you to them and thank you once more to Alwyn, Susanne and Janet.

Christine Brown, Awareness Co-ordinator on behalf of the Nottingham Group.