Eating Disorders: Mental Health Services

(asked on 12th April 2021) - 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 the finding in the report published in December 2020 by NHS Digital, entitled Health Survey for England 2019 Eating Disorders, that 16 per cent of adults screened positive for a possible eating disorder, what steps his Department is taking to (a) reduce waiting lists for adult eating disorders services and (b) ensure that provision of those services is prioritised following the covid-19 outbreak.


Answered by
Nadine Dorries Portrait
Nadine Dorries
This question was answered on 16th April 2021

In 2021/22 the National Health Service will receive an additional £500 million to help to address the impacts of COVID-19, which will support people with a variety of mental health conditions, including eating disorders. This includes programmes to address waiting times for mental health services. As part of this funding, £58 million will be allocated to bring forward the expansion of integrated primary and secondary care for adults with severe mental illness, including eating disorders. As part of this, a four-week waiting time standard for adult community mental health services, including eating disorder services, is being piloted and considered as part of the clinically led review of NHS access standards.

In addition, NHS England has announced additional early intervention services for young people aged 16-25 years old with eating disorders in 18 areas across the country, so young adults seeking support could be contacted within 48 hours and begin treatment within two weeks.

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