North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has challenged the Welsh Government over actions “to ensure faster and equitable progress in improving eating disorder services across Wales”.
Speaking in yesterday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood highlighted findings in eating disorder charity Beat’s new report, published this week, that progress in achieving the recommendations set out in the Welsh Government’s 2018 ‘Eating Disorder Service Review’ has varied widely across Wales, and called on the Welsh Government to support the report’s recommendations.
Raising the matter in Questions to the Health Minister, Mr Isherwood, who earlier this month had a meeting with the National Officer Wales for Beat to discuss their work and the report, said:
“The Welsh Government ‘Eating Disorder Service Review’ in 2018 set out an ambitious vision based on early intervention, evidence-based treatment, and support for families.
“Eating disorder charity ‘Beat’ played a key role in this Review.
“Beat’s ‘Welsh Eating Disorder Service Review - 3 Years On’ report, published this week, found that progress toward achieving that vision has varied widely across Wales.
“Will the Welsh Government, in line with Beat’s recommendation, publish a new service model or framework including timescales to set out what they expect from Health Boards – and, if so, when would you expect this to happen?”
Responding, the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Lynne Neagle MS, said the Welsh Government will be using Beat’s report to inform their work going forward.
She added:
“We have invested very substantially in eating disorder services — £3.8 million funding since 2017, and given the very significant additional funding that the Welsh Government is making to mental health services for the next three years, I can also confirm that we will be using some of that money to improve eating disorder services.”
During Mr Isherwood’s meeting with Beat, discussions also included the need to strengthen the connection between eating disorder services and other specialist services including Autism and Diabetes; increased waiting times for specialist treatment, with people becoming vulnerable in the meantime; and the need for both early intervention and greater support for families.
ENDS