Eating disorder services
Ruth Coppinger raises Eating Disorders Awareness Week and calls for more beds and outpatient supports, citing years of unmet need. Minister Mary Butler says specialist teams are being expanded, with 14 of 16 teams funded by year-end, though bed capacity still needs review and most care is community-based.
This is Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Tomorrow, a briefing will be held by relatives about this matter. Over the past 20 years there has been an absolute explosion in this most deadly, fatal mental illness. Yet, we still only have three beds for people with eating disorders. Some 200,000 people suffer with such disorders. Eight beds were to be opened at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown. Nothing has happened. We need beds because this is such a complex mental health issue. Psychiatric hospitals are not able to deal with it. An all-round approach is needed. Outpatient clinics are also needed. When is the Government going to do something about this? For so many years, parents and sufferers have been in contact with me about the situation relating to the three beds. The Minister of State is sitting behind the Taoiseach. Nothing has happened in the past four years despite an explosion in the number of cases, particularly during the pandemic. Is this because, yet again, it is mainly women who suffer?
Comment on this
The Government remains firmly committed to enhancing specialist mental health services, including those relating to eating disorders. It is factually incorrect to say that nothing has happened. When I came into this role in 2020, we had three eating disorder teams - one in place. By the end of this year, 14 of the 16 eating disorder teams will be in place across the country-----
Comment on this
Is that by the end the year?
Comment on this
That is by the end of the year. Would the Deputy like me to answer or does she want to heckle me?
Comment on this
All right, go on.
Comment on this
We have 14 teams funded. It takes a year and a half to set up a team. They are multidisciplinary teams. We have 100 clinicians and ten consultant psychiatrists working on eating disorder teams across the country. The Deputy is right in that we have not made progress in relation to the bed capacity, but 90% of those with an eating disorder are treated in the community. That is what we priorities in the first instance. We are reviewing the model of care and looking at all situations in relation to inpatient beds.