Eating Disorders: Mental Health Services

(asked on 17th December 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Health Survey for England 2019's finding that 16 per cent of adults aged 16 and over screened positive for a possible eating disorder, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that anyone affected by an eating disorder is able to access specialist treatment at the earliest opportunity.


Answered by
Nadine Dorries Portrait
Nadine Dorries
This question was answered on 11th January 2021

Improving eating disorder services is a key priority for the Government and a vital part of our work to expand and transform mental health services.

The National Health Service will invest almost £1 billion extra in community mental health care for adults. Under the NHS Long Term Plan, 12 areas in England have received funding to test new integrated models of primary and community mental health care since 2019/20. Eight sites have also received specific additional funding to transform the eating disorders pathway, including early intervention for young adults with eating disorders.

Building on this, the NHS has announced the roll out of the first episode rapid early intervention for eating disorders model in 18 sites across the country for young people, aged 16-25 years old, with eating disorders. This model advocates treatment within two to four weeks and aims to contact patients within 48 hours of referral.

Reticulating Splines