Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to introduce (a) access and (b) waiting times standards for adults with eating disorders on an equivalent basis to standards for people up to the age of 19.

A pathway for adults with eating disorders, together with detailed implementation guidance for providers, is being developed by the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health in partnership with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. This work will be fully informed by the available evidence and the views of experts by experience.

In parallel to this, a baseline data collection will be undertaken to measure existing levels of investment, capacity and activity across inpatient and community services for adults with eating disorders to assess the feasibility of introducing a mandatory waiting time standard.