NHS Drops Weight Rules for Eating Disorder Help

NHS England has issued new guidelines that will no longer use a child's weight as the primary factor in determining eligibility for eating disorder support. This significant change directs professionals, including teachers, GPs, and school nurses, to consider behavioral changes and family issues rather than solely relying on metrics like BMI. This aims to ensure more children receive timely interventions and prevents weight being a barrier to care.

The new training, developed with eating disorder charity Beat and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, is being rolled out to equip frontline staff with the skills to spot early signs. NHS England reports that every local area in England now boasts a specialist eating disorder service for young people, a substantial increase from a decade ago. On average, children are seen and offered treatment within three weeks of referral.

Experts welcome the guidance, noting the rise in demand for services since the pandemic and the historical disparities in access. While community care wait times for children and young people are now a median of 14 days for assessment and four for treatment, some waits can still be up to 450 days. The new directive is expected to improve care equity and reduce waiting times, particularly for conditions like Arfid.