NHS eating disorder waiting times under fire

An inquiry led by the BBC has collated data from 41 mental health trusts and has found that the average waiting times for mental health treatment for eating disorders in England varies from 20-180 days, depending on the trust.

Data released as a result of the Freedom of Information (FoI) request found that 1,576 people have waited 18 weeks to be seen by a mental health specialist since 2012, while 742 have waited 26 weeks and 99 up to a year.

Mental Health charity Beat has called for more investment in mental health treatment for eating disorders.

The information showed that waiting times for outpatient treatment has risen by 120 per cent in some areas over the past four years, with patients regularly made to wait over 100 days to see a specialist. There was considerable variation across the country’s regions, with the average wait in Manchester reaching 182 days, while places such as Dorset and Dudley had an average waiting time of just 20 days.

In particular, Humber NHS Trust saw a 165 per cent increase in waiting times since 2012, with the average wait for 2015 reaching 82 days.

Out of the 55 mental health trusts, 41 responded, with five claiming they did not provide an eating disorder service at all.

Commenting on the results, Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust said: "Where urgent, patients are seen within approximately two weeks. Waiting times for therapy are longer than we would wish. If more services were commissioned, more services could be provided. The trust continues to work within tight funding levels and with increasing demand."

The Department of Health (DoH) said it had set a new goal to ensure 95 per cent of patients with eating disorders would be seen within four weeks, or one week for urgent cases.

A DoH spokesman said: “People with eating disorders must get high quality care as early as possible - and while this is happening in some places, there is far too much variation.

“That is why we're investing £150 million to develop community services in every area of the country for children and young people, and have set a target for routine care to be available within four weeks and urgent care within one week by 2020.”