AQW 23427/22-27


Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry


Tabled Date: 26/02/2025
Answered On Date: 13/03/2025
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the steps his Department is taking to improve access to specialist eating disorder services in Northern Ireland.


Answer:
(i)
Trust
Adults
Children
Southern
5
10
Western
14
<5
Note the following:
• Reporting for the 2024/25 year has been impacted by Encompass implementation for Belfast/SET & Northern Trusts. No data is available from Belfast/SET or Northern Trust for January 2025.
• Small numbers <5 have been suppressed for non-disclosure purposes
• This is Management Information sourced from Trusts’ manual returns – not official statistics.
(ii)
Funding to Eating Disorder Services
2019/20
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
Eating Disorders Association NI
23,300
18,000
18,000
25,200
13,500
HSC Trusts
-
-
1,158,000
1,000,000
-
Total funding allocated
23,300
18,000
1,176,000
1,025,200
13,500
(iii)
The Mental Health Strategy 2021-2031 includes a commitment to enhance regional eating disorder services and in line with the Mental Health Strategy Action 29d, a Regional Clinical Lead and Manager for the Regional Eating Disorder Managed Care Network were appointed in late 2024. They are in the planning phase of establishing the Network and a business case to improve effective resource allocation is in its final stages.
A precise timescale for further implementation of Action 29d has not been determined as it will depend upon the availability of funding. The Business Case related to Action 29d proposes to enhance the current community-based, evidence-based treatment model in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance, thereby increasing regional availability and accessibility of intensive community and day treatment.