Charity Responds To PM Gordon Brown's Statement On Eating Disorders, UK

Main Category: Eating Disorders
Article Date: 21 Feb 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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Beat - the leading UK eating disorders charity - responds to Gordon Brown's statement from Downing Street when he admitted that treatment for these illnesses is not always good enough. "Sometimes it is late and sometimes things have gone too far" he said.

Latest hospital admission figures have revealed a disturbing rise in the number of people being admitted with anorexia. The charity points out that hospital admission is a last resort.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week begins on Monday 23rd Feb when beat will be publishing a report which shows that out of 1500 families surveyed, only 15% felt their GP understood eating disorders and knew how to help.

The charity's Chief Executive Susan Ringwood says a 'wait and see' attitude is often adopted resulting in patients becoming extremely ill before receiving treatment, and could be prevented in many cases if help was given earlier - from the GP.

"It means too many people are only getting the right treatment when they are so ill that hospital is the only solution" she said. "We welcome the Prime Minister's statement - the first time a Prime Minister has spoken publicly about these illnesses which affect over a million people in the UK. We will, however, be holding the government to account on its promise that the health service will do more to help"

The report will be launched at 12.30h on Monday 23rd February at the House of Commons. and will be available from Sunday 22nd February at 6pm: http://www.b-eat.co.uk

Beat