Ring-Fenced Funding for Eating Disorder Supports Announced

Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler, has announced that funding will be ring-fenced for the development of eating disorder services and supports as part of the Winter Plan published last year. This announcement comes during Eating Disorder Awareness Week.

This year, €150,000 will be invested to develop online resources that provide early intervention supports for people with eating disorders. This service will provide tailored supports for individuals to access from the comfort and privacy of their own homes, and at a time that suits them best.

A further €850,000 will be allocated to ensure people with more complex mental health care needs will have access to appropriate bed placements. This funding will help improve access to specialist in-patient treatment for mental health services, including those requiring in-patient eating disorder services.

Minister Butler said, \”these initiatives build on the significant investment in specialist eating disorder services in 2021 and 2022 to improve access and enhance quality of service for individuals and their families. Having met with the Clinical Lead for the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders and Bodywhys yesterday at the start of Eating Disorder Awareness Week, I am confident that real progress is being made in the development of specialist eating disorder services.\”

\”The €3.94 million which I was pleased to be able to secure for the National Clinical Programme on Eating Disorders in 2021 has resulted in the successful recruitment of over 43 new staff with the remaining posts currently in recruitment. These staff will be posted across the three existing specialist eating disorder teams and the three new teams provided for in 2021.\”

Minister Butler continued, \”the further development of specialist eating disorder services, remains a key priority for me and is reflected in the further allocation of €1.15 million in Budget 2022 for the development of additional eating disorder teams and enhancement of our existing teams.\”

Overall, a total of €6.85 million has been allocated to the Eating Disorders National Clinical Programme to date.

Minister Butler concluded, \”this investment will continue beyond 2022 to ensure the full completion of the National Clinical Programme on Eating Disorders in line with the Model of Care This is critical to ensuring all people affected by eating disorders and their families are appropriately supported within their own communities and have access to a modern, high quality, recovery focussed service to achieve the best possible outcomes.\”