Report calls for improved NHS info and training
Internet myths and misinformation are adding to the dangers faced by people with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, the authors of a new NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) report said today (Thursday) as they published guidance on the management and treatment of this group of conditions.
The report, entitled Eating disorders in Scotland: recommendations for management and treatment , gives detailed guidance on the approach NHSScotland should take to eating disorders.
Drawn up by clinicians and public representatives, its key recommendations include:
- guidance on tailoring care to the needs of the individual patient, based on a multidisciplinary model
- care of the physical aspects of eating disorders
- communication between all those involved in eating disorders care including primary care, school health services, specialist services, adult and adolescent services,
- investigation of possible eating disorders when patients access primary care services, mainly through their GP,
- referral to specialist services, and pharmacological, psychological and self-help treatment regimes, and
- management of long-term eating disorders.
Speaking ahead of the report bring presented to the Eating Disorders for Non-Specialists conference in Aberdeen, the authors go on to recognise the need for high quality information for patients, their carers and their families. They propose that all healthcare professionals should be able to access and recommend high quality information and should be prepared to warn patients and their families against dangerous or misleading information.
Commenting, Co-Chair of the Report Development Group, Dr Harry Millar, said:
A simple internet search produces over 15 million hits for eating disorders. Some of these sites are simply inaccurate, repeating the myths often associated with the conditions.
Others, however, are positively dangerous. They encourage eating disorders, recommend ways to subvert care and add to the difficulties faced by people with these conditions.
The best ways to counter these sites is with the truth, so by providing high quality information, we can knock down the myths and misinformation peddled by these sites. We want to make sure that every healthcare professional who deals with eating disorders has access to high quality information and is able to recommend where patients and their families can access that information.
Information, however, is just one of the recommendations in our report. It covers the full range of management and treatment of eating disorders and is the first time that Scotland will have guidance on these conditions.
Central to our approach is that the care for each and every patient or service user should be individualised. Almost every person with eating disorders is different, so the care and treatment they receive has to be built round the individual.
The result of our work is a flexible package of recommendations that will support healthcare professionals in improving the care they deliver.
Editors Note:
Eating disorders are a group of conditions related to body image disturbance and abnormal eating behaviour; these include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and atypical eating disorders (including binge eating disorder).
The report was developed by a group of healthcare professionals and public representatives from across Scotland. They reviewed the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guideline 9 on Eating Disorders and incorporated those recommendations which are directly applicable to the Scottish context into their report.
NHS QIS has been established to lead in improving the quality of care and treatment delivered by NHSScotland. To do this it sets standards and monitors performance, and provides NHSScotland with advice, guidance and support on effective clinical practice and service improvements.
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