§ Brian CotterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines his Department has issued in respect of the treatment of eating disorders. [7798]
1030W
§ Jacqui SmithWe embarked on a radical programme of modernisation to improve access to effective treatment and care, reduce unfair variation, raise standards, and provide quicker and more convenient services. The mental health National Service Framework published in 1998 draws attention to the needs of people with eating disorders in Standards two and three.
The NSF implementation plan demands that health authorities have protocols for referral in place for those needing psychological therapies, and in February the Department published an evidence-based guideline to assist them. It includes coverage of eating disorders www.doh.gov.uk/mentalhealth/treatmentguideline.
We have commissioned the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to develop a guideline on eating disorders. It will cover primary and secondary care and children as well as adults. Information about this work is available on the NICE website at www.nice.org.uk.