Eating Disorders: Children

(asked on 7th February 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of children who present with eating disorders (a) at February 2022 and (b) prior to the covid-19 outbreak.


Answered by
Gillian Keegan Portrait
Gillian Keegan
Secretary of State for Education
This question was answered on 24th February 2022

Data collected on waiting times for children and young people with eating disorders shows that there has been a significant increase in demand in the wake of the pandemic. This data can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cyped-waiting-times/.

For urgent cases, latest figures (October to December 2021) show that 649 children and young people with an eating disorder started treatment, compared to pre-pandemic levels of 353 (January to March 2020). A further 203 children and young people were waiting to start treatment, compared with pre-pandemic levels of 18.

For routine cases, latest figures (October to December 2021) show that 2,460 children and young people with an eating disorder started treatment, compared to pre-pandemic levels of 1,850 (January to March 2020). A further 1,918 children and young people were waiting to start treatment, compared with pre-pandemic levels of 543.

Data for February 2022 is not yet available.

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