An analysis conducted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) reveals that a majority of regions in England are planning to make cuts to specialist eating-disorder services for children and young people within the year. Out of the 42 NHS integrated care boards in the nation, 24 are expected to decrease spending for under-18s in 2024-25, adjusting for inflation. While overall spending is set to rise by 2.9%, with budgets increasing in other areas, the RCP argues that this incremental increase is insufficient to meet the growing demand for services.
According to the RCP, Veronika, a 20-year-old who has been struggling with an eating disorder for five years, fears the impact that these cuts could have on individuals like herself. Veronika recalls being dismissed by services in the past and expresses concerns that these reductions could be “catastrophic” for those seeking help. She highlights the potential ripple effects of reduced services, noting that delayed treatment could lead to further health deterioration within a matter of weeks or days.
Eating-disorder services encompass a spectrum of essential support services, including therapy, counseling, crisis intervention, and hospital treatment. The RCP indicates that these services are already underfunded, resulting in the need to ration care for the most severely affected under-18s. Last year, referrals rose by 13%, culminating in over 6,000 young individuals placed on waiting lists by the end of 2024. Current targets for routine and urgent wait times are not being achieved, exacerbating the strain on existing resources.
Dr. Ashish Kumar from the RCP underscores the gravity of the situation, emphasizing that eating disorders, particularly anorexia, have high mortality rates despite being treatable conditions. Tom Quinn of the eating disorder charity Beat echoes these concerns, expressing alarm over the potential funding cuts to crucial services for children and young individuals struggling with eating disorders. The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eating Disorders has previously warned about the dire consequences of “woefully inadequate care,” which has resulted in lives lost and families torn apart due to lack of necessary support
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