In Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2024, North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has expressed concern at the lack of progress in ensuring that people with eating disorders in Wales can access the help and support they need.
Two years ago, Mr Isherwood challenged the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Minister over actions “to ensure faster and equitable progress in improving eating disorder services across Wales”.
In yesterday’s Business Statement he expressed disappointment that there has been little progress since that time and called for an oral Welsh Government Statement on the matter.
He said:
“26th February to 3rd March is Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2024. This year the focus is on Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, or ARFID, a condition characterised by the person avoiding certain foods, or types of food, having restricted intake in terms of overall amount eaten, or both.
“I took part in the debate on Eating Disorders here during Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2022. In that debate, there were calls for the Welsh Government to publish a service model or framework, with timescales, for achieving the vision of the 2018 Eating Disorders Service Review, so that everyone affected can access effective help quickly. I highlighted the then recently published Beat report, which found that progress towards early intervention, evidence-based treatment and support for families had varied widely across Wales.
“It's therefore disappointing that, two years on from that debate, we still do not have such a model or framework for Wales. Treating eating disorders early is critical in ensuring that patients make a full and sustained recovery, and prevents the need for patients requiring in-patient treatment. And therefore, it's concerning also that, two years on from the debate, we still don't have a National Plan, with timescales, to improve local eating disorder services. I call for a Welsh Government Statement—oral statement—on this accordingly.”
Responding, the Trefnydd said:
“We do continue to invest in our eating disorders services, and a new team and clinical lead for eating disorders is helping to ensure that really positive changes are being driven to eating disorders care, with very much a focus on early intervention, and we do continue to provide funding for a range of easy access support, including the Beat helpline. “