What are Eating Disorders
Diagnosing Eating Disorders
Penrose Health Action Plan
⚠️ Safety netting
For any interaction with a patient with suspected/confirmed eating disorder → always consult with GP and follow their advice.
- Consider the need for emergency medical or psychiatric admission for anyone at risk of serious physical complications, suicide or serious self-harm (see box below).
- Refer immediately to an age appropriate eating disorder service for specialist assessment and management. Do not use a watchful waiting strategy for managing eating disorders.
- Ensure there is a clear agreement between primary and secondary or tertiary care about the responsibility for monitoring a person with an eating disorder.
Secondary and External services may be better placed to help/support patients than we are.
- Secondary services offer psychological treatments (e.g., interpersonal/psychodynamic therapies, CBT)
- External services in the community offer many options for social and psychological help through relationships with the wider service network (e.g. Social Prescriber, Befriender, Care Coordinator, Therapist, Lifestyle Coach, etc.)
We do not provide any form of psychotherapy within our surgeries
Patient Journey - Determining Schedule of Reviews
Click toggle for a schematic of the action plan/treatment policy for all Penrose Health Surgeries, or follow the guidance below.
Suspected eating disorder → consult with GP to agree next steps for patient management.
If patient is at risk of serious physical complications → discuss with GP and/or hospital eating disorder team re: potential hospital admission.
- If patient rejected by secondary eating disorder team → book appointment with GP in 1 week.
If patient at low risk of serious complications → discuss with GP or other clinicians re: referral to eating disorder services.
- Follow up should be booked as per GP’s management advice.
Perform assessment for any concurrent diagnosis (e.g. Depression, Anxiety, ASD). If assessment/history suggestive, discuss with GP for appropriate management → rebook and follow that pathway.
- If a patient is actively managed by another mental health provider → liaise with services as required and conclude routine MHN appointments.
- If rejected by secondary services and patient is at high risk → review again in <1-2 weeks.
Referring/Signposting Onward
Below are some services to which you can signpost/refer patients. More services can be found on the Penrose Portal in Mental Health Services Database.