GPs miss nearly one-third of eating disorders

DOCTORS are failing to spot three in 10 patients with eating disorders, according to a charity.

Medical students need better training to pick up the telltale signs of anorexia nervosa and bulimia, says a survey by eating disorders charity Beat.

Half of these patients rated the care they received from a GP as “poor” or “very poor”, while 30 per cent were not referred to a mental health service for treatment, despite medical guidance that stresses the need for this immediately.

Andrew Radford, chief executive of Beat, said: “We know early intervention in referring people with eating disorders is critical if they are to make the best possible recovery. We are calling for increased eating disorder training for medical students.”