‘Gold standard’ NHS treatment for eating disorders

Young people with eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are to soon receive rapid access to specialist NHS treatment across England.

NHS England has announced that it will scale up an early intervention service to support young people in the early stages of eating disorders. The new NHS service to be rolled out in 18 sites across the country builds on a successful scheme, developed and trialled at King’s College London and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, shown to help 16-25 year olds in London, with one patient describing it as ‘the gold standard’ of care.

Te expanded service will target care to those who have been living with a condition for fewer than three years, to tackle problems before they escalate.

The investment in the early intervention service is part of the NHS Long Term Plan commitment to provide an additional £1 billion a year by 2023/24 to expand and improve community mental health care so adults, including those with an eating disorder, can get earlier access to care, as close to home as possible.

Professor Tim Kendall, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Mental Health, said: “Young people who are struggling with an eating disorder stand to benefit significantly with the roll out of this new NHS service which will provide access to early intervention, treatment and support.

“These services have already proven to be effective and the expansion in care we have announced today will support our ambition to meet the rising demand for support to tackle young people’s ill health. And although we are in the throes of a pandemic, the NHS continues to offer face-to-face appointments and inpatient care for patients with eating disorders when needed, while providing the option of phone and video consultations and online support where appropriate.”

A 2015 report estimated that between 600,000 and 725,000 people in the United Kingdom have one or more eating disorders.