Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the conclusions of the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman, Ignoring the alarms: how NHS eating disorder services are failing patients (HC 634), published on 6 December, what assessment they have made of the recommendations set out in that report; and what discussions they have held with the General Medical Council on reviewing the eating disorders training for junior doctors.

The Government takes seriously the report of the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman Ignoring the alarms: how NHS eating disorder services are failing patients.

Mental health services in England are, currently, undergoing a major transformation and expansion programme, the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, which includes an expansion in services for eating disorder sufferers. There are 70 community eating disorders services being developed to provide at least 3,350 children and young people a year with swift, effective eating disorder treatment in the community — for many this will mean they will be treated earlier and no longer need to go into hospital.

Additionally the Government has committed, within its 2017 election manifesto, to:

- Require all our medical staff to have a deeper understanding of mental health and all trainees will get a chance to experience working in mental health disciplines; and

- Ensure medical exams better reflect the importance of mental health.

Discussions have already been held between the Department and the General Medical Council to examine how mental health training for non-psychiatrist medical staff, including junior doctors, can be enhanced.

Following on from the publication of the ombudsman’s report the Department will now work with our partner organisations and arm’s length bodies, including NHS England, to consider how the recommendations can be taken into account as part of the planned improvements to mental health and eating disorder services.