The number of under-19s waiting for eating disorder treatment has reached record levels as services are struggling to provide timely treatment in the face of overwhelming demand, says the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
New NHS data analysed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists shows that while the number of those waiting for urgent and routine treatment has reached record levels during the pandemic, more children and young people are being treated than ever before.
An estimated 1.25 million people have an eating disorder in the UK. Eating disorders do not discriminate and can affect anyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, age or socioeconomic status.
Disordered eating behaviours include limiting food consumption, eating very large amounts of food, purging, fasting or excessive exercise in response to eating, or a combination of these.
Dr Agnes Ayton, Chair of the Faculty of Eating Disorders Psychiatry, at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said:
“The pandemic has had a huge impact on children and young people with disruption to their schooling, social lives and home lives. Many young people have not received support early enough, causing their eating disorders to become much worse and harder to treat.
“Delays to treatment can put lives at risk. Services are struggling with soaring demand, fewer beds because of social distancing, and an ongoing shortage of specialist doctors.
“The government made an ambitious commitment on waiting times, but the pandemic has set us back years. Urgent action is needed to ensure children and young people with eating disorders get the help they need, when they need it.”
Eating disorders are complex and life-threatening mental illnesses. Anorexia has one of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness.
Despite this, eating disorders remain poorly understood. They are a mental illness, not a ‘lifestyle choice’, and full recovery is possible with access to the right specialist help and treatment.
