I have been contacted by parents of patients with eating disorders who are deeply worried about the impact of potential spending cuts to children and young people’s eating disorder services.
Eating disorders have a high rate of mortality, although they can be treatable if patients access care and support quickly. Funding reductions could result in the NHS cutting funding for vital services in many areas across England.
We urgently need to improve eating disorder services and treatment, and the implementation of a national eating disorders strategy focusing on early intervention and swift access to specialist support is long overdue.
Last week I took part in a Westminster Hall debate on eating disorders here in my role as an officer of the all-party parliamentary group on Eating Disorders. The Group is calling for Government and NHS Leaders to implement a national strategy to tackle the alarming rise in admissions, and training and retention of specialist medical staff by increasing investment and research into these complex disorders.
