‘Completely unacceptable’: No specialist eating disorder services in Limerick

THE LACK of specialist eating disorder services in Limerick has come under scrutiny, with an “urgent need for specialised inpatient facilities” in UHL called for.

Cllr Elisa O’Donovan has criticised the government’s handling of eating disorder treatment, saying “It is completely unacceptable that there are currently no specialist eating disorder services in Limerick, Clare or North Tipperary”.

“Despite eating disorders being the psychiatric condition with the highest mortality rate, this is an area that is constantly under-resourced by the Government,” she continued.

The City North councillor met with members of CARED (Caring About Recovery for Eating Disorders) Ireland, a voluntary group that has supported people struggling with eating disorders, and their families, for over 10 years.

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Cllr O’Donovan stressed the urgent need for specialised inpatient facilities in University Hospital Limerick, saying, “There are currently no beds available for people with eating disorders despite a 32% rise in adult admissions and 61% rise for children and adolescents to emergency departments. 

“This is despite a Government commitment, when Simon Harris was Minister for Health, to deliver 20 new beds by 2023. In the past six years, however, there has been zero funding for the additional inpatient beds promised.”

“Eating disorders are serious and complex. Those requiring specialist treatment in the Mid-West region must not be abandoned by the Government.”

Figures provided to The Journal show that the HSE has spent €13.5 million on sending patients with eating disorders abroad since 2016.

The annual figures have risen since 2018, with €4.5 million spent in 2023 on access to treatment for eating disorders under the HSE’s Treatment Abroad Scheme.

In the same year, no additional funding was allocated to the eating disorder model of care, a national plan to improve services across Ireland, according to The Journal.