Woman with severe anorexia being tube fed by mother at home due to Covid pressures

Court told in-patient treatment programme not possible due to strains on hospital system

A vulnerable young woman with severe anorexia is being tube fed at home by her mother due to Covid-19 related pressures on the hospital system, the High Court has heard.

Aged in her 20s, the woman was made a ward of court and admitted to hospital in summer last year because of a serious decline in her weight and Body Mass Index.

The High Court orders, sought by the HSE in the wardship proceedings, permitted her to be fed by naso-gastric tube.

She has made some progress since but her treating clinician says her situation remains serious and that she continues to lack insight into the severity of it, exhibiting concerning behaviours including over-exercising.

She had been permitted some hours of home leave but, as a result of Covid-19, the home leave has had to be extended and she now effectively remains at home, a situation she is very happy with, the court was told.

Her family have been extremely supportive of her continuing treatment and her mother has undergone training so as to be able to continue the naso-gastric feeding at home.

The family share the treating clinician's view the woman is at a critical stage in relation to her treatment and ideally requires an in-patient treatment programme.

On Thursday, the president of the High Court, Ms Justice Mary Irvine, granted an application by Paticia Hill, counsel for the HSE, for orders permitting the woman remain at home but also permitting her to be returned to hospital if she fails to adhere to her treatment plan or should her condition deteriorate.

The judge made orders retainining the treating clinician to oversee her treatment, saying she considered that was very important as the woman remains vulnerable.

It is clear the woman's condition is such that, in normal circumstances, she should be having specialist in-patient treatment, the judge said.

It was "uplifting" to note she has been able to remain at home for a substantial period, albeit that was driven by Covid-19, with "tremendous support" from her family, especially her mother who had trained in naso-gastric feeding, the judge added.