Anorexic woman ‘must continue to be tube fed’

The High Court has directed the continued tube feeding of a young woman dramatically losing weight due to anorexia nervosa.

Barrister Sarah McKechnie, counsel for the HSE, told the court the woman had been detained since May last under the Mental Health Act after the HSE applied to the High Court following a sharp decline in her condition.

The court had then ordered the woman, who is in her 20s and cannot be identified, to undergo a lifesaving treatment, including tube feeding, and the matter had been adjourned to yesterday to see how the treatment was going. Ms McKechnie said despite all the supports the young woman had received from the medical team, her weight dropped due to excessive exercise and inadequate diet.

She told Mr Justice Paul McDermott that the woman, who weighs about 30kg, had lost weight after her transfer to hospital. She said it had been anticipated the transfer would be traumatic for her.

Making the order, Judge McDermott adjourned the matter to September 10.