MP hits out over 18-week target for eating disorder referrals

NHS Tayside has insisted waiting times locally for people requiring treatment for eating disorders are far less than the national maximum target.

It comes after Angus Conservative MP Kirstene Hair criticised the Scottish target of 18 weeks from referral to start of treatment for sufferers of conditions including anorexia and bulimia.

The Tayside health board said the current wait for outpatient referrals to its eating disorder service was eight weeks.

Ms Hair was speaking in the Commons in support of the charity BEAT in the wake of research showing the impact of delays on sufferers and their families.

UK health secretary Jeremy Hunt assured her that he “absolutely” believed Scotland should share the NHS England target of 95% of patients being seen within one week of referral.

“Anorexia and bulimia are complex mental health illnesses which many people don’t realise can be inherited,” said Ms Hair.

“They are life-threatening conditions and it would not be acceptable to wait 18 weeks for broken bones, so it should be the same for mental health treatment to begin.”

NHS Tayside said: “NHS Tayside eating disorders service provides specialist, multidisciplinary, outpatient assessment and treatment to adults aged 18 to 64 suffering from clinical eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

“Patients aged below 18 and above 64 are managed within the child and adolescent mental health and older people’s services respectively.”

Patients whose disorder is acutely life-threatening have access to a 10-bed unit in Aberdeen.