Protests to demand urgent reform of Irish eating disorder services planned next month

Protests to demand urgent reform of Irish eating disorder services will take place in multiple counties next month. 

Ireland's first multi-city protest - driven by a mother's "harrowing" experience navigating the healthcare system for her daughter - will take place this March 2 to coincide with Eating Disorder Awareness Week.

The protests will highlight the critical need for reform of eating disorder services and call on the government to urgently address the multiple obstacles to receiving treatment in Ireland. 

Amy Hanley's teenage daughter was diagnosed with anorexia in 2022; fuelled by her experiencing with the healthcare system, Hanley launched the MindEverybody campaign late last year and organised a protest in Dublin in November. 

This March 2nd will see protests take place in Cork, Limerick, and Dublin, as parents and sufferers seek widespread support for much-needed changes. 

A Change.org petition has also been set up to be delivered to Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly and Minster of State for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler. 

It has almost reached its goal of 1,000 signatures. 

Speaking about the challenges of the healthcare system, Hanley said, "No family or individual should endure the obstacles we faced in securing treatment for my daughter. It's time to dismantle the multiple barriers that impede access to care for eating disorders in this country. 

"An often overlooked reality is that eating disorders have the highest mortality rate among all mental health conditions. While recovery is attainable, the flaws in our healthcare system can prove detrimental, often worsening or prolonging an illness. 

"Countless young individuals and their families across Ireland are needlessly suffering as they grapple with the lack of resources in the face of deteriorating physical and mental health. This is unacceptable. We need our voices heard once and for all." 

In January 2018, the HSE published a five-year Model of Care for community eating disorder care, with a plan to have sixteen specialist teams in place in by 2023 (eight for adults and eight for under-18s). 

There are currently eleven in place, however "not all teams are funded to the recommended levels in the model of care" according to the HSE. 

Additionally, a recent report by the Health Research Board found the number of child and adolescent admissions for eating disorders more than doubled in 2022, and the number of adults admitted to hospital for eating disorders was the highest in a decade. 

However, the eating disorder support organisation, Bodywhys, said people admitted to hospital are only a "fraction" of the people experiencing one of these conditions. 

With an estimated 188,895 people in Ireland experiencing an eating disorder - including anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder - at some point in their lives, and approximately 1,757 new cases annually in the 10-49 age group, reforming services is now urgent. 

Hanley continued: "If authorities treated this mental health condition with the gravity it deserves, not only could it alleviate the profound suffering experienced by patients, but it could also significantly reduce the economic burdens. 

"This includes the costs associated with multiple hospitalisations, treatment in private facilities here or abroad when the HSE is unable to provide adequate care, and the financial strain on caregivers who may need carer allowances or sick leave due to the challenges of simultaneously working and caring for someone severely ill without sufficient support." 

The planned protests will take place at 11am on March 2nd and anyone interested in getting involved or organising a protest in their own county are encouraged to contact Amy on mindeverybody@gmail.com. 

Dublin protesters will meet in front of the Department of Health at 11am and walk towards the Dáil in Kildare Street at 12pm, going around St. Stephen's Green, while Cork protesters will gather at the plaza at City Hall from 11am-1pm. 

People in Limerick will gather outside the main gates of the University Hospital Limerick from 11am to 1pm to protest. 

More information on all protests can be found on Eventbrite. 

Key demands of the MindEverybody campaign include: 

1. More Direct Routes to Access Care and Early Interventions:

   - Reduction of time spent on CAMHS and AMHS waitlists

   - Clarity about the treatment process and entitlements for families

   - Immediate supports for carers, including meal coaching

   - Access to individual and/or family-based therapy at every stage of the treatment process,   irrespective of weight

2. Connected and Sufficient Level of Service:

   - Expansion of inpatient facilities or reduction of catchment restrictions

   - Provision of NG feeding in all inpatient facilities

   - Availability of ED specialists and mental health services in all public hospitals

   - Enhancement of community and outpatient supports.

   - Expedite the roll out of specialised facilities for eating disorder sufferers as per the 2018 Model of Care. 

3. More Beds, Ring-fenced Funding, and Specialised Staff:

   - Increased funding for specialised staff and beds, with ring-fenced allocations.

   - Consistent funding for the National Clinical programme for Eating Disorders (NCPED) to  expedite and increase the rollout of specialist ED teams.

   - Funding to update the expired 2018 Eating Disorders Services Model of Care.

   - Full staff recruitment for existing teams. 

4. Better Transitional Supports Between Hospitals and Homes, and CAMHS and AMHS:

  - Change the age from CAMHS to AMHS from 18 years of age to 25 

 -  Ensure continuity in treatment between various services – from CAMHS to AMHS and inpatient to outpatient 

5. More Accountability and Accurate Statistics:

   - Transparent care plans for individual sufferers.

   - A recourse process for families if care is inadequate.

   - Gather accurate statistics to understand the scale of the issue and resource needs.

   - Conduct a needs assessment for bed capacity.