Whether Derek Tyrer has M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), or one of the other illnesses bundled together with it in the catch-all basket diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, he was considered sufficiently unfit to do his job as Head of Marketing by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (PR chief takes East Lancashire Hospitals to tribunal, Lancashire Telegraph,August 4), after a good few months in the job, on either a full or part-time basis.

Since the new eligibility for benefits test, for people unable to work due to chronic illness or disability, has been introduced, up to 90% of claimants (including people just like Derek Tyrer) are being turned down and told that they are capable of some kind of work, after an examination of about 20 minutes by a doctor who has never seen them before and with no follow up to check for the exhausting effects of the assessment, which usually appear within 24-48 hours when the doctor is not there to see them.

There are a couple of stools here for people with largely invisible, randomly fluctuating, symptoms to fall between with no income from either employment or state benefit to cushion their landing.

Dr John H Greensmith, ME Free For All. org Downend, Bristol.