Ignoring the alarms: How NHS eating disorder services are failing patients
Systemic investigation into NHS eating disorder services, finding patients failed by inadequate training, poor transition from child to adult services, lack of coordination and insufficient specialist provision. PACAC follow-up (2019) found 'not enough action' taken. PHSO wrote to ministers again in March 2024 calling for eating disorder care to be made a priority.
Government response
Recommendations
The General Medical Council (GMC) should conduct a review of training for all junior doctors on eating disorders.
The Department of Health and NHS England should review the existing quality and availability of adult eating disorder services to achieve parity with child and adolescent services.
NICE should consider including coordination as an element of their new Quality Standard for Eating Disorders.
Health Education England should review how its current education and training can address the gaps in provision of eating disorder specialists we have identified.
Both NHS Improvement and NHS England have a leadership role to play in supporting local NHS providers and CCGs to conduct and learn from serious incident investigations, including those that are complex and cross organisational boundaries.