Teesside Mam backs calls for more eating disorder support
It comes after the health ombudsman ruled a 19-year-old's death from anorexia was avoidable
A Middlesbrough Mam, who's daughter has been battling an eating disorders for more than five years is backing a national report calling for more support for people with eating disorders.
It's after the NHS was slammed for failings which led to the death of a teenager in Cambridge.
The Health Ombudsman's warned there are huge problems with hospital treatments and out-patient care across the Country.
Verity Marshall, whose daughter, Eloise, is still receiving specialist eating disorder care, said:
"The care that we had early on was sporadic and a bit haphazard, and we unfortunately experienced a few failings in recordings of her height and weight rations and so the system failed us initially, I would say.
"This has impacted on Eloise with her education because it's very difficult for her to go to school sometimes and anorexia is a very destructive illness in that it likes to take you away from anyone who recognises the illness - so it's very difficult and very isolating.
"My daughter is now in an inpatient unit that is not ideal - you become quite institutionalised and we've now had five months where my 16-year-old daughter hasn't been home with us as a family - and that in itself, on top of the devastating illness, is very destructive."
Ann Dymyd, Chief Officer of NIWE Eating Distress Service said:
"We have mounting concern at the increasing incidence of eating disorders and distress in the North East.
"The impact of austerity, which is disproportionate around the UK, is severely affecting both people’s mental health and the capacity and ability of services to respond and act in a timely and appropriate way.
"We see people affected by these circumstances every day and know how much pressure there is on mental health services across the whole spectrum.”
Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, are warning that more than 725,000 people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder.
Their Chief Executive, Andrew Radford, said:
“We must see good, joined-up intensive home- and community-based treatment for people of all ages, and in all locations across the UK. This does require the NHS to reorganise but it will deliver improved outcomes for patients and considerable cost savings to the NHS.”