HSE spent €4.6m on sending patients with eating disorders abroad for treatment

Since 2018, the HSE has spent over €12.5m sending patients with eating disorders abroad.

The HSE spent more than €4.6m sending seven patients with eating disorders abroad for treatment in 2023, as the support service Bodywhys calls for consistent funding.

The €4.6m spent on the Treatment Abroad Scheme (Tas) compares to a total spend of €8.1m on eating disorder services in Ireland in the same year. Since the launch of the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders (NCP-ED) in 2018, the HSE has spent over €12.5m sending patients with eating disorders abroad.