Debate contribution: Regional Eating Disorder Service

Debate contribution by Mrs Diane Dodds on 3 March 2026.

MLA

Mrs Diane Dodds

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

3 March 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Regional Eating Disorder Service

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5435029

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Like many across the Chamber, I am grateful for the tone and supportive nature of the debate on the issue. As my colleague Peter Martin reflected, it is not a contentious issue, but it is important, and it is important to shine a light on it. It is not often that it gets such prominence, and I am glad that we have been able to shine a light on such a significant issue. One of the stats that really brings it home to us is that the mortality rate among individuals with an eating disorder is seven times higher than that among other people with a severe mental illness. That is a really significant stat that many of us perhaps do not realise or acknowledge in debates about the prevention of suicide and other issues that are prevalent. It has been a really good and supportive debate, and it is important that we shine a light on the issue. During the debate, I was very much struck by an issue that was raised by Colin McGrath — yes, Colin, you. He mentioned that a young person said that they do not talk about eating disorders in school. Maybe we do not talk about those things enough so that young people understand the dangers and, sometimes, the hidden and lonely journey that people may be on.

It is therefore extremely important that we have had this debate. Minister, I will refer to a couple of things that you and other Members raised, one of which is the implementation of the mental health strategy, particularly the community element to treating eating disorders. I think that every party in the Chamber supports you in your ambition to shift left and to provide care closer to home and acknowledges that those measures will be not only more effective but less costly for the health service. I do not think that there is any real debate to be had about that among political parties here, but we do want to see it done in a coordinated and ordered way that people will understand. When looking at some of the stats in preparation for the debate, I was struck by the fact that 29(d) in the mental health strategy mentions talking therapy hubs and intensive day treatment facilities that are in line with NICE guidelines and that would fulfil the ambition of bringing care closer to home. The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust's eating disorder intensive service demonstrates that very well. Between April 2022 and March 2024, the service treated 78% of patients who were assessed as being at risk of a specialist eating disorder and inpatient admission, yet only 13 of those patients — 17% — ended up requiring inpatient admission. Surely that is an indication of how really good community services can help prevent people being admitted to hospital and instead bring care for people closer to their own communities and closer to their families. They are also much more cost-effective, but, more importantly, they are much more effective in aiding people's recovery from their illness. When we are considering how to move forward, such provision is one element that we would like the Department to consider substantially. We would also like it to consider establishing services that mean that children, young people and adults do not have to travel outside of Northern Ireland, away from their families, to receive treatment. That is hugely important. Minister, I am encouraged by what you said about the partial implementation of the business case for enhancing the regional eating disorder service and about the leads who have been appointed to the regional eating disorder managed care network. I note that you said that you need roughly £2·5 million for the full business case. I encourage you to find some way of finding that money so that we can drive forward. That is important. Another issue that strikes me is something that will not fill the House with clamorous voices, but it is one that is important for the delivery of services that are tailored to meet need, and that is the data that we have on eating disorders. For many years, people who are diagnosed with an eating disorder have received their diagnosis during an emergency in a hospital setting. That is how most of the data is captured, but that ignores the level below, which is people with mild to moderate eating disorders. Data is not captured on them. I therefore emphasise the fact that we cannot design and deliver services that are effective and that meet the needs of people in our communities if we do not have the data that will help us do so.

Again, that is hugely important. We had a debate on data and the provision of mental health services a couple of weeks ago. On this specific issue, it is really important that we capture relevant data more accurately so that we can design services that meet the need. In finishing, I want to talk about social media. We talk a lot about banning social media, and I notice that the UK Government have announced a consultation on social media for those aged under 16. Social media is really important in relation to people who are at risk of developing eating disorders. We could respond to the consultation by highlighting the harmful, almost pro-anorexia content that sometimes circulates on social media: there could be more bans and restrictions on that. It is sometimes subtle and sometimes not subtle at all, but it definitely impacts on very many people. I thank everyone for the tone of the debate. That is really important. If I did not mention you, it is simply that I did not have the time. Alan Chambers made a contribution about the stigma involved with mental health issues, particularly eating disorders. We need to help people get over that stigma. We should be able to talk about the issue, and I hope that the debate has, in some way, helped with that.

1,010 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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