Eating disorder services
Holly Cairns raised delays in eating disorder hubs, low numbers of beds, and unspent funding. The Minister of State said expanding specialist services remained a priority and that funding had been reinstated to complete and establish teams.
In the past two weeks we have learned that two eating disorder hubs have been delayed in Dublin. The 2018 strategy aimed for 16 specialist treatment hubs throughout the country. There are currently three operating for the entire country. As the Taoiseach knows, I have continually raised the fact there are also only three adult inpatient beds for eating disorders in the entire country. Also, no funding was allocated under the national eating disorder treatment plan for 2020. Of the €1.6 million allocated in 2019, not one cent was spent. While these delays and blatant inaction continue here, people with severe eating disorders are being forced to travel to the UK to get the treatment they desperately need. I have been assured repeatedly this is a priority area of the Government, but the reality is those intentions are not resulting in service improvements. Will the Taoiseach, in addition to the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Butler, seeing as she is here, reassure people this area will finally be prioritised?
Comment on this
The continued development of specialist services for eating disorders, including improved access and shorter waiting lists, remains a key priority for me and the Government. Funding was made available in 2021 to complete the three existing specialist eating disorder teams and establish three additional eating disorder teams — one in the Deputy's community healthcare organisation, CHO, namely, CHO 4, adult; another in CHO 9, adult; and another in CHO 2, child and adult mental health services.
When I entered my post last year, the money for eating disorder services had been suspended. I reinstated €3.94 million immediately to develop another three teams this year. In next year's budget, I have allocated €1.5 million to put in place another three eating disorder teams. Therefore, by the end of 2022, we will have nine full eating disorder teams and two part-time teams. I have to work incrementally because, as the Deputy knows, there are challenges with staff recruitment.
With regard to the Mount Carmel site, which the Deputy mentioned, there is a team in place. It consists of eight staff. It continues to operate and provide vital services from the existing location in St. Vincent's University Hospital. The other premises will not be ready to move into until quarter two of next year, but the multidisciplinary team is in place, with eight staff working.