Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure access to a NHS eating disorder specialist for all those that need such treatment.
Improving access to eating disorder support is a key priority for this Government and we are committed to ensuring that everyone with an eating disorder is able to access the appropriate specialist care when they need to.
The earlier treatment is provided, the greater the chance of recovery. It is therefore vital that everyone with an eating disorder can access quick, specialist help when necessary. We have set up the first waiting times standard to improve access to eating disorder services for children and young people with the aim that 95% of children with an eating disorder will receive treatment within one week for urgent cases and within four weeks for routine cases by 2020/21.
The NHS Long Term Plan commits to testing four-week waiting times for adult and older adult community mental health teams, in selected local areas. The exact scope and timelines of these pilots are yet to be finalised.