Holly Cairns calls for acceleration of specialist eating disorder services in Cork

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has called on the Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler and the HSE to accelerate specialist eating disorder services in Cork.

Ms Cairns said it is an area that is "constantly" under-resourced. 

“Eating disorders are serious and complex mental illnesses. 

“It is one of the topics young women raise with me often - they all know someone who has been seriously impacted. 

“This is not helped by increasing pressure on social media platforms that promote unhealthy body images. 

“Unfortunately, this is an area that is constantly under-resourced, despite eating disorders being among the psychiatric conditions most associated with mortality,” she said.

The Cork South West TD said the funding model has been haphazard since it was launched in 2018. 

“Since the HSE launched the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders (NCPED) in 2018, the funding model has been haphazard. 

“For instance, of the €1.6 million allocated in 2019, none of it was spent, with no budget set aside for 2020. 

“Then there are the delays in rolling out the services. 

“Plans announced five years ago for the provision of 16 dedicated eating disorder teams – eight for children/adolescents and eight for adults – are also running way behind schedule.

“While more teams are expected to be rolled out this year, just four are operating as per the model of care agreed in 2018 due to ongoing recruitment difficulties. 

“Funding was made available in 2021 for the Cork Kerry adult eating disorder team, but the team has still not begun its work. 

“The HSE has informed me that a consultant has been appointed but is waiting for a start date. 

“The earliest this team will be operational in the autumn. Where is the urgency? This is an extremely serious condition,” she said.

Ms Cairns said "consistent" funding is so important. 

“For a team to be fully operational, there must be a consultant and multidisciplinary staff in place. 

“This programme needs year-on-year funding to get to the endpoint of 16 teams, which is why consistent funding is so important. 

“Minister of State Mary Butler and the HSE must urgently intervene and explain why there is such inconsistent funding when it comes to the provision of public specialist eating disorder services.”