Butterfly merger to boost disorder support

RHI Hamilton knows the harsh reality of living with anorexia but, thanks to the Tasmania Recovery from Eating Disorders group, she has come out the other side.

And as a recovered patient, Ms Hamilton has backed a merger between the Tasmanian group and national eatingdisorder support group the Butterfly Foundation.

The merger, which was announced yesterday, will allow TRED to increase investment in local services for patients and to use the Butterfly Foundation’s national advocacy experience to affect change in the Tasmanian health system and other workforces.

From the age of 19, Ms Hamilton battled anorexia nervosa for three years before she was diagnosed.

She then began working on her recovery with TRED, which helped her with doctors’ appointments and support groups.

Now at 24, Ms Hamilton has fully recovered from the illness.

She said she hoped the merger would provide more support to Tasmanians.

“The fact there’s going to be a lot more conversation will be great,” she said. “I just think when people are aware, they will now seek out TRED and start conversations about recovery.

“There will be much more support for their families too.

“I’d like to see ... more solid infrastructure, more on-site counsellors and more people on board.”

There are one million Australians living with an eating disorder, a factor that prompted Jo Cook to set up TRED in 2011 after she was diagnosed with anorexia in her early 40s.

Mrs Cook said the merger would address the areas most in need in the system.

“With no Tasmanian inpatient services and the recent loss of psychiatry training accreditation at the Royal Hobart Hospital, there is still much to be done to assist Tasmanians recovering from eating disorders,” she said.

“The University of Tasmania psychology department doesn’t have expertise on eating disorders and the Royal Hobart Hospital doesn’t have anyone in the adult space heading up eating disorders, it’s only paediatric.

“[The merger] will help us to have more influence on better workforce training.”

Butterfly Foundation chief executive Christine Morgan said the foundation would invest in TRED to ensure Tasmanians in need of treatment and support had access to a local health system.

“There will be direct access to our national support services,” she said.