Cork TD slams Government record on beds for eating disorders

SOCIAL Democrats leader Holly Cairns has sharply criticised the Government’s track record in providing dedicated inpatient beds for adults with eating disorders, labelling it an “abject failure”.

Speaking in the Dáil this week, the Cork South-West TD said under plans published in 2018, some 20 new beds were set to be delivered by 2023, but not one has been delivered.

There are currently just three dedicated psychiatric beds for adults with eating disorders who are in need of inpatient treatment.

In other parts of the country, adult patients are admitted to local general adult mental health units.

Ms Cairns believes the Government has failed to grasp the seriousness of eating disorders.

“Over the years I’ve spoken to women who have been forced to speak publicly about what they’re going through, to set up GoFundMes to get the care they need,” she said. “I’ve spoken to parents at their wits’ end watching their children quite literally waste away in complete disbelief that there’s no support for them.”

'Lack of transparency'

Ms Cairns also criticised what she said was a lack of transparency in the funding of treatment for adults with eating disorders.

“Sometimes the HSE will pay for private treatment for people, sometimes it won’t,” she said.

“There’s no clarity, no transparency about how those decisions are made.”

Ms Cairns said she wished to acknowledge that there has been “some progress” with regard to care in the community, but added that other sufferers who are past the point of early intervention need urgent inpatient treatment.

Response from Taoiseach

Responding, Taoiseach Simon Harris acknowledged that “historically, there has been a lack of publicly funded services for people with eating disorders in Ireland”.

Research, the Taoiseach said, shows that “the most effective setting for eating disorders is in the community”, but added that “a small number of people, mainly with restrictive eating disorders, will require inpatient care for stabilisation and for other reasons”.

“Based on multidisciplinary community teams, the national clinical programme for eating disorders is now being implemented on a phased basis across the country,” he said. “There are now 11 teams in place, six adult teams and five child and adolescent mental health service teams.”

Mr Harris addedthere are currently 20 dedicated eating disorder beds across the four Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) inpatient units.

As of April 23, he said nobody was waiting for access in that area.