Eating Disorders: Coronavirus

(asked on 18th May 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of (a) isolation and (b) public information messages not to go out shopping often during the covid-19 outbreak on people with eating disorders; and what additional support his Department is providing to those people while specialist facilities are closed as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.


Answered by
Nadine Dorries Portrait
Nadine Dorries
This question was answered on 2nd June 2020

We have not made an assessment of the effect of isolation on people with eating disorders. However, mental health services, including eating disorder services have remained open during COVID-19 and are working around the clock to support people with eating disorder issues through the COVID-19 outbreak and beyond. Where people with eating disorders need support, they should contact their general practitioner or (if receiving care from NHS services) local community eating disorder service or mental health crisis service.

Community eating disorder services are deploying innovative digital tools to connect with people and provide ongoing support, assessment and treatment. They are also adapting the delivery of evidence-based therapies, where it is clinically appropriate to do so, to provide ongoing support and treatment and keep people with eating disorders engaged during this time.

We have published guidance online that explains what steps people can take if they are unable to access food. This guidance has been shared with local authorities, retailers and charities to help them respond to enquiries from those seeking help.

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