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.

In recent weeks, private health insurers have agreed to provide cover to their patients, meaning that the first inpatients are expected at the centre next month.

However, clinical director Carla Johnston said patients who cannot afford health insurance are being denied funding through the HSE, despite clinicians referring them to the service.

It is very frustrating. Although our service is covered by private health insurance, obviously everybody does not have health insurance. It shouldn’t be the case that you get treatment only if you have private health insurance.

Currently, there are just three inpatient public beds in Ireland — in St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin — which are only available to people in the catchment area of Dublin South East, Dublin South and Wicklow.

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

Ms Johnston said the HSE’s Model of Care, released in 2018, committed to 16 eating disorder hubs across the country within five years, but is nowhere near completion, with just three in place.

Sinn Féin TD Mark Ward said people are not feeling any benefits from increased funding in the area. 

"What is happening at the moment is that they are being admitted into a generic psychiatric hospital or ward and released without any wraparound services to tackle their eating disorder."

Responding to a query from the Irish Examiner in relation to the National Eating Disorder Recovery Centre, the HSE did not refer specifically to the facility.

A statement read: “The HSE is committed to the continued rollout of the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders which aims to establish a network of specialist teams in accordance with the agreed Model of Care 2018. 

"There are currently 3 eating disorders (ED) specialists teams in operation and 3 additional teams are at advanced stages of recruitment. Funding was also allocated in the recent budget for additional teams across Community Healthcare Organisations in 2022.

“The HSE also funds patients in private facilities. Decisions are made based on individual clinical need and the prioritisation of available funding."