Oral Answers to Questions

Jim Cunningham Excerpts

Tuesday 24th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)]

7. What steps he is taking to improve access to NHS adult eating disorder services.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Jackie Doyle-Price)]

The Government are committed to improving eating disorder services for adults. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has updated its guidelines, and NHS England recently completed a national review of provision and is considering next steps. We will also be ensuring that people remain properly served as they transfer between children’s and adults’ services.

[Mr Cunningham]

Two thirds of adults wait more than four weeks and one third wait 11 weeks for treatment. What are the Government going to do about it, in the light of the review that the Minister has just mentioned?

[Jackie Doyle-Price]

As I have said, NICE has published its new clinical guideline on the recognition and treatment of eating disorders in people over the age of eight, including adults, and we will make clear to NHS organisations what we expect of them. We are ensuring that we meet the waiting times for eating disorder treatment, and we are delivering against those standards.