Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Paula Sherriff (Labour) on Tuesday, 9 January 2018, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 11 January 2018. It was answered by Jackie Doyle-Price (Conservative) on Wednesday, 17 January 2018 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Eating Disorders: Mental Health Services

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report of the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman, Ignoring the alarms: how NHS eating disorder services are failing patients, HC 634, what steps he is taking to address the gaps in provision of eating disorders specialists.

Answer

For children and young people aged between eight and 18 years, the Government is investing £150 million to expand eating disorder services and staff – with 70 new or enhanced services already in place.

The Government’s aim is for the National Health Service to meet the access and waiting time standard for children and young people with an eating disorder by 2020/21 so that 95% of children with an eating disorder will receive treatment within one week for urgent cases and within four weeks for routine cases. NHS England has published a Commissioning Guide that sets out its recommended staffing and training requirements for these services. This is available at:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/cyp-eating-disorders-access-waiting-time-standard-comm-guid.pdf

We are on track to meet the eating disorders waiting time target. 68.7% of children and young people are currently being seen within one week and 78.9% within four weeks (against target of 95% for both by 2020/21).

For adults, NHS England is conducting a baseline audit to measure existing levels of investment, capacity and activity across inpatient and community services for adults with eating disorders.

NHS England will develop evidence based treatment pathways across mental health services over the next five years in line with the recommendations of the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health. NHS England is working with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health to ensure that each pathway is fully informed by the available evidence and the views of experts by experience.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
121741
Session
2017-19
Related items
Eating Disorders: Children and Young People
Friday, 23 February 2018
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects
Mental health services Eating disorders
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk