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<p>As services for the treatment of Lyme disease are commissioned locally information
on the costs associated with laboratory testing and treatment of late stage Lyme disease
is not collected centrally. Nor is information collected centrally on the average
time to diagnose cases of Lyme disease.</p><p> </p><p>The National Institute for Health
and Care Excellence (NICE) is developing a clinical guideline on Lyme disease and
reports progress on its website. NICE recently consulted on a draft scope for the
guideline, and expects to publish final guidance in July 2018.</p><p> </p><p>Public
Health England and NHS Choices publish information on their websites to raise awareness
of Lyme disease and encourage timely medical consultation because early diagnosis
and treatment of Lyme disease is the best way of limiting complications from infection.
Given the need to maintain public awareness these or similar mechanisms are expected
to continue beyond 2018. Increased awareness is likely to encourage early consultation
but no information on the time taken to seek medical advice is available.</p><p> </p><p>There
are no plans to set targets for diagnosis and treatment as most cases of Lyme disease
are diagnosed empirically by general practitioners using their clinical judgement
rather than relying on a laboratory test, thus treatment can start immediately. Diagnosis
of patients with late or complicated Lyme disease can be difficult and the National
Health Service will continue to provide care taking account of the existing evidence
base.</p>
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