National Review of Eating Disorder Services Implementation Group: final report

4. The First Year of Implementation

Since the publication of the National Review in 2021, through the work of the Implementation Group, we have taken action to respond to the short-term recommendations outlined by the Review. We have made good progress and have started to take steps to achieve the remaining medium and longer term recommendations. Since the publication of the recommendations, we have:

• Provided NHS Boards with Emergency funding of nearly £4.5 million in 2021/22 to help rapidly meet the urgent needs of eating disorder patients and services as a direct result of an increase in the number and severity of eating disorder presentations related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Funding aimed to prioritise physical health stability, risk reduction, support inpatient discharge and prevent admission to hospital. Further funding has been provided to NHS Boards through the Outcomes Framework in FY 2022/23 (Recommendation 1).
• Established the National Review of Eating Disorder Services Implementation Group to take forward early planning for the implementation of the Review's recommendations (Recommendation 2).
• Established Working Groups of the Implementation Group to focus on key priority recommendation areas, as outlined above, which will continue into the next phase of eating disorder policy (Recommendations 7, 8, 9 11 and 12).
• Provided funding to Beat, the UK's eating disorder charity, to expand their services and helpline in Scotland to ensure that self-help resources and support are available for those with an eating disorder, and their families and carers. Over £400,000 was allocated in the financial year 2021/22, which supported over 6,000 people, and we are continuing to provide funding to Beat in 2022/23, with over £600,000 being allocated, to extend the support services on offer. This also includes the introduction of Beyond the Symptoms Training for GPs and healthcare professionals, to support them to identify when a patient has an eating disorder, and confidently intervene early (Recommendations 6 and 13).
• Published an Outline Specification for the establishment of a Lived Experience Panel for those who have been impacted by an Eating Disorder (Recommendation 4). Following a competitive procurement process, funding has been awarded in FY 2022/23 to Beat to establish and facilitate the Panel, with recruitment to begin in early 2023.
• Began the process to establish the National Eating Disorder Network which will take forward the remaining recommendations, which will be established in 2023 (Recommendation 3).