Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken towards establishing an ARFID pathway for adults living with this condition in (a) Eastbourne and (b) the UK.

NHS England is updating the Adult Eating Disorder Inpatient Service Specification to address the gaps and challenges in the current system for those with severe and complex eating disorders, which includes avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).

In recognition of the importance of ARFID, NHS England published A Framework for Good Practice in Delivering Support to Adults and Older Adults with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), on NHS Futures. It is intended for clinicians working in eating disorder services.

Locally in Sussex, which includes Eastbourne, NHS England is working with system partners to develop a children and young people’s pathway, which will consist of a multi-disciplinary model of care for children and young people with ARFID and complex eating, to more comprehensively support their needs. This learning will be used to explore improvements in the adult pathway as well.

The Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust offers advice and consultation to professionals about ARFID and signposts to other relevant services as required.