Poor services affect eating disorder patients

The standard of services for people suffering with eating disorders is poor, according to medical professionals questioned in a report on the sector in the Eastern Region.

In particular, a report carried out for the Eating Disorders Association of Ireland (Bodywhys) found that multi-disciplinary services for children and adolescents were inadequate, with those aged between 16 and 18-years-of-age lacking in appropriate services.

It also found a large gap exists between the standard and availablability of care available for public and private patients.

It noted that while there are few specialist inpatient programmes for people with eating disorders, those that do exist are mainly private and Dublin-based. There are three publicly funded specialist beds in the State for patients with eating disorders.

Speaking at the launch of Eating Disorders: A Report on Service Provision in the Eastern Region, the chief executive of Bodywhys, Ms Jennie O'Reilly said: "Everyday we battle with the myth that eating disorders are self-inflicted or only affect a particular gender and class.

"The effect of myths like these are that a large number of people so not come forward for treatment. As this report highlights, early intervention is the key to recovery."

According to data quoted from the Department of Health up to 2 per cent of the population suffer from anorexia with up to 5 per cent suffering from bulimia.

The report suggests that "in terms of mortality and recovery rates it is understood that 20 per cent of people with eating disorders die" as a result of suicide or organ failure which may occur even when the individual is in recovery and has regained normal body weight for sometime.

However, this figure falls to 5 per cent with early treatment intervention, which, the reports concludes, requires a significant improvement in the linkages between GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists, dieticians and counsellors.

Approximately half of those with eating disorders recover with appropriate treatment. However, 30 per cent make only a partial recovery and the remaining 20 per cent do not improve, even with treatment, the report stated.

Bodywhys said primary care teams, as proposed in the Health Strategy must be developed as GPs are seeing a relatively high number of people each year with eating disorders.

The report also recommended improvements in training and guidelines for healthcare professionals dealing with patients with eating disorders.

The majority of eating disorders are found in women and they develop between 15 and 25 years of age. Approximately 10 per cent of cases are male.

The report, which focused only on the eastern regional health authority area also pointed out a lack of nationwide research or statistics on eating disorders. It said a study on the prevalence of eating disorders across the country is required.