Hope Virgo believes the NHS need to do more to tackle eating disorders.
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‘National eating disorder guidelines are not being implemented properly by the NHS’, according to a campaigner from south-west London.
Hope Virgo, now 28 years old, says it is because of a “lack of understanding” and “cuts to funding”.
She has suffered from anorexia since she was 13 years old. At her worst, her heart nearly stopped and she was hospitalised for a year.
After making a recovery at 16 years old, she felt herself relapsing a few years later following the death of her grandmother.
She went to the St George’s Mental Health Trust in Tooting to seek help. Unfortunately she was turned away as she was not severely underweight.
“I felt like I was left completely in the lurch. I felt like a fake, hypocritical anorexia person that was really rubbish at having an eating disorder.”
She added, “the thing with anorexia is that it is so competitive. When you are turned away for not being thin enough, it makes the whole thing so much worse.”
Hope is now working with the hospital that denied her support. This is part of her broader campaign, called Dump the Scales, to address why this is happening.
She is calling for a proper implementation of the guidelines, an introduction of a standard to measure the effectiveness of the guidelines and training for GPs.
What is the system now?
The NHS are supposed to closely follow the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for recognising and treating eating disorder.
Their recommendation is that a multitude of elements should be considered when referring someone for treatment. For example social withdrawal symptoms and restrictive eating habits.
They specifically say that weight alone should not be a deciding factor.
Amy Thomas, a manager from NICE, explains that while they strongly encourage the NHS to follow their guidelines, it is not legally binding.
She says that ultimately the decision lies with the GP or clinician.
In response to the claim that guidelines are not being followed, an NHS spokesperson said that “all decisions about treatment should be taken jointly between the clinician and the patient, and always based on best evidence and national guidance so everyone gets the right treatments at the right time.”
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Headline‘NHS not implementing eating disorder guidelines correctly’, says campaigner
Short HeadlineNHS 'not implementing eating disorder guidelines'
StandfirstThe NHS is failing to properly treat people with eating disorders, according to a campaigner.
‘National eating disorder guidelines are not being implemented properly by the NHS’, according to a campaigner from south-west London.
Hope Virgo, now 28 years old, says it is because of a “lack of understanding” and “cuts to funding”.
She has suffered from anorexia since she was 13 years old. At her worst, her heart nearly stopped and she was hospitalised for a year.
After making a recovery at 16 years old, she felt herself relapsing a few years later following the death of her grandmother.
She went to the St George’s Mental Health Trust in Tooting to seek help. Unfortunately she was turned away as she was not severely underweight.
“I felt like I was left completely in the lurch. I felt like a fake, hypocritical anorexia person that was really rubbish at having an eating disorder.”
She added, “the thing with anorexia is that it is so competitive. When you are turned away for not being thin enough, it makes the whole thing so much worse.”
Hope is now working with the hospital that denied her support. This is part of her broader campaign, called Dump the Scales, to address why this is happening.
She is calling for a proper implementation of the guidelines, an introduction of a standard to measure the effectiveness of the guidelines and training for GPs.
What is the system now?
The NHS are supposed to closely follow the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for recognising and treating eating disorder.
Their recommendation is that a multitude of elements should be considered when referring someone for treatment. For example social withdrawal symptoms and restrictive eating habits.
They specifically say that weight alone should not be a deciding factor.
Amy Thomas, a manager from NICE, explains that while they strongly encourage the NHS to follow their guidelines, it is not legally binding.
She says that ultimately the decision lies with the GP or clinician.
In response to the claim that guidelines are not being followed, an NHS spokesperson said that “all decisions about treatment should be taken jointly between the clinician and the patient, and always based on best evidence and national guidance so everyone gets the right treatments at the right time.”
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