Eating disorders: Toolkit to help schools cope developed

Mental health professionals have unveiled a "toolkit" to help school nurses support pupils with eating disorders.

Bath-based campaigner Hope Virgo developed the strategy with the School and Public Health Nurses Association (Saphna) after a rise in cases.

The toolkit aims to equip school nurses with techniques to discuss eating disorders, and also "what not to say".

Ms Virgo has called on the government to deal with the backlog those waiting for treatment, which totalled 1,946 at the beginning of March, data from eating disorder charity Beat shows.

Sharon White, Saphna's chair, said the organisation had been promoting the toolkit among its members.

"We can't solve the huge waiting lists and reduced services, but what we can do is inform ourselves better," she said.

The toolkit provides "the hints, the tips, the language, the stock phrases, and importantly, what not to say", Ms White added.

The Department of Health and Social Care has been supportive of the scheme, Ms White said, adding it may adopt it as part of its own guidance in future.

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Source: BBC News, 17 October 2022

Read a recent blog Hope Virgo wrote for the hub: People with eating disorders should not face stigma in the health system and barriers to accessing support in 2022