Eating disorder treatment centre lies idle — just three public beds in entire country

Hospital admissions for eating disorders among children and adolescents have been rising significantly, up 66% in 2020 compared to 2019.

A private inpatient treatment facility for eating disorder patients has been lying idle since last April while there are just three public beds available in the entire country.

The National Eating Disorder Recovery Centre in Ballsbridge, Dublin, provides outpatient services to people with eating disorders across the country, but the 10-bed inpatient service has not been operational because patients cannot get HSE funding to cover the costs, even though the facility has been approved by the Mental Health Commission.