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NHS Trust Discharges Patients Below Safe BMI
27 Feb
Summary
- Patients discharged with BMIs as low as 12.5, far below the 18.5 target.
- Nine trusts reported 119 such discharges in less than a year.
- Experts warn of severe malnutrition, relapse, and mortality risks.
Mental health units in England are discharging patients with eating disorders who remain dangerously underweight, with some having BMIs as low as 12.5. This practice falls far below the typical NHS clinical guidance, which aims for a BMI of 18.5 to 19 before discharge.
Freedom of information requests revealed that nine NHS trusts discharged 119 patients with conditions like anorexia nervosa and Arfid between January and November of the past year, despite BMIs under 15. Experts have labeled this situation 'horrifying,' attributing it to increased demand straining NHS services.
Consultant psychiatrist Dr. Agnes Ayton highlighted that a BMI of 15 signifies severe malnutrition, and discharging patients at this level carries substantial risks, including rapid relapse, chronic illness, and premature death.
While NHS England stated existing practices are safe and BMI is not the sole discharge indicator, clinicians and campaigners express grave concern. Dietitians and psychologists emphasize that a BMI of 15 is medically concerning, impacting cardiovascular stability and immune function, and discharging patients at such low weights is a failure of care.
