Mother fears for her suicidal daughter who can't get into eating disorder centre
Hospital admissions for eating disorders amongst children and adolescents rose by 66% in 2020 compared to 2019.
A mother whose daughter has attempted suicide while awaiting inpatient treatment for an eating disorder says her family is one of those hoping for a bed in a facility lying idle since last April.
The woman, who spoke to the on condition of anonymity, says she and her daughter have been trying for several months to get a referral to the National Eating Disorder Recovery Centre (NEDRC) in Ballsbridge.
However, they have not been able to get HSE funding and cannot afford the treatment privately.
She says her daughter has been battling anorexia nervosa for more than three years and tried to take her own life in recent weeks.
She was discharged from hospital just hours later and is now recovering at home. Her mother is very concerned for her daughter’s future.
“People are being left get sicker and sicker," she said.
"I am worried sick about my daughter. My priority to try to get her in somewhere for treatment.”
Yesterday, the revealed that the ten-bed NEDRC has been lying idle since last April.
While it currently provides outpatient services to people with eating disorders across the country, the inpatient service cannot be provided because prospective patients cannot get HSE funding, 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.
Currently there are just three inpatient public beds available in Ireland in St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin.
However, they are only available to people in the catchment area of Dublin South East, Dublin South, and Wicklow.
Hospital admissions for eating disorders amongst children and adolescents rose by 66% in 2020 compared to 2019.
The NEDRC is in the same catchment area as Mount Carmel Hospital, which was to have an expansion of its eating disorder services completed by the end of December.
However, the Mount Carmel project is now not due for completion until June.
According to a HSE statement, decisions on funding for private facilities are made according to individual clinical need, as assessed by the person’s individual local mental health team and the prioritisation of available funding.
It added: “Applications for funding for treatment of eating disorders with private providers can be made by CHOs on a case by case basis.”
Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns has raised concerns in the Dáil in the past year regarding supports for people with eating disorders.
She said: “Medical care should be based on need, not the ability to pay. The failure to provide crucial resources to treat those suffering with eating disorders is causing patients and their families immense distress and could well cost lives.
"It is time for the Government, and the HSE, to put their money where their mouth is and properly resource these essential services.”
Bodywhys Helpline: 01-2107906 Bodywhys E-mail Support Service: alex@bodywhys.ie; The HSE Eating Disorder Self Care App provides valuable information for those with or people caring for someone with an eating disorder.
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