This CAN-DO eating disorder service inspires ACTION
By Eva Musby, UK
My favourite word in “Eating Disorders World Action Day” is “Action”. There are places in the world where the action already taken needs to be celebrated and used to inspire others.
One of these places is a little corner of England. I discovered two super-dedicated eating-disorders clinicians and I absolutely had to interview them so that their work can ripple out to benefit others.
They are Lydia Goodrum and Dr Sarah Maxwell, from the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.
It is exciting to see how this service manages to do things that so often, other hard-working clinicians tell me is just not possible. Such as:
- Allowing parents to refer directly to the service
- Providing treatment within one week of first contact
- Combining adolescent and adult services
My hope is for their work to be a model, a source of encouragement and inspiration to others.
I challenge anyone to travel to a conference and come out with so much concentrated goodness in just 45 minutes… at zero cost. Plus, the video has links so you can jump to the bits you’re most interested in.
If you only have 4 minutes right now:
Near the beginning the video shows just four minutes of short snippets that summarise it all. They start here:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg9Sgt-HMO4]
Send it out!
I propose you spread the word among clinicians, health service managers and parents. Feel free to embed the video in your materials, or share this link: https://youtu.be/Zg9Sgt-HMO4?t=167
Extra help for people in England
It doesn’t matter where you are in the world: all this is relevant.
However, if you’re in England, this will be of extra interest, because health services are facing the enormous and exciting challenge of having to make big changes to comply with NHS England’s new “Access and Waiting Time” standards. Health commissioners have got funds, deadlines, and there’s never been a better time for…action.
About Eva Musby
Eva Musby produces resources to help parents to support their children with an eating disorder. Her work rests on personal experience (her child suffered from anorexia age 10), and is informed by research, writings, and accounts from parents and professionals across the world. Her book “Anorexia and other eating disorders – How to help your child eat well and be well”, and her videos, are recommended by clinicians and parents world-wide. She also offers individual support to parents.
Join Eva in supporting World Eating Disorders Action Day. Be sure to follow along on Twitter @WorldEDDay and hashtag #WeDoAct, #WorldEDActionDay, @WorldEatingDisordersAction on Instagram and World Eating Disorders Action Day on Facebook.
