Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of current NHS strategies to prevent eating disorders, particularly among children and young people; and what steps he is taking to strengthen early intervention and prevention services.

NHS England will shortly publish refreshed guidance on children and young people’s eating disorders. This guidance strengthens the focus on early identification and intervention across the whole care pathway, including in settings such as schools and primary care, to support prevention and timely access to help. It places particular emphasis on high-quality community provision, while ensuring that children and young people can access specialist support swiftly as soon as an eating disorder is suspected.

Since 2016, investment in children and young people’s community eating disorder services has increased every year. This includes an additional £54 million per year from 2023/24, which continues to enhance the capacity and capability of community eating disorder teams to deliver early intervention, evidence-based treatment, and ongoing support for all children and young people, including boys and young men.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning eating disorder pathways for their local populations. In doing so, ICBs are expected to assess and respond to the needs of their local communities and to ensure services are provided equitably, including that diagnosis, treatment pathways, and clinical support are appropriate and accessible for all patients. This includes maintaining effective transitions from inpatient care into community services, with robust follow-up and ongoing support to reduce the risk of deterioration following discharge.