Mike Hedges Questions Government Business Manager and asks for statement on eating disorders.

Mike Hedges Questions Government Business Manager and asks for statement on eating disorders.

Speaking from his Morriston office, local Swansea East MS, Mike Hedges said… ‘Eating Disorders affect many people across Wales and my Swansea East Constituency and I have met many people suffering from different Eating Disorders; all of them express a wish for clarity on support and treatment. Some people seem to have different access depending on which GP surgery they attend. That can’t be write – all people with a disorder should be able to access the same level of treatment where ever they live.

I hope that the new investment mentioned by the Minister will help ALL Health Boards to achieve the NIHCE standards and the targets in the 2018 Review. It is regrettable that they have not already achieved them.

Mike Hedges MS14:35:10

I want to ask for a Welsh Government statement on eating disorders. The 2018 eating disorders service review put forward an ambitious vision, based on earliest access to effective treatment and support in every part of Wales. Beat’s new report finds that progress in expanding and improving eating disorders services has been very uneven. While access to treatment has improved in some areas, in others, it is still very limited. Can I ask for a Government statement and the publishing of a plan with timescales for achieving the vision of the 2018 eating disorders service review, so that everyone affected can access effective help quickly?85

Lesley Griffiths MS14:35:44

Thank you. We continue to prioritise investment for eating disorders services, and, since 2017, as I’m sure the Member is aware, health boards have received an additional £4.1 million to support improvements in those services, and particularly in waiting times. We will be targeting additional funding for eating disorders services from the increased mental health funding that has been secured for 2022-23. Funding has been provided to health boards specifically to reconfigure services towards earlier interventions, to work towards achieving the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence standards on eating disorders within the next two years, and also to develop plans to achieve a four-week waiting time across both adult and child services, as was recommended in the review.