Your illness worsens – so care is cut off. This is the scandal playing out in eating disorder treatment (Guardian, 25 February 2024)

Summary

In this Guardian opinion piece, John Harris looks at reports of people with severe eating disorders being discharged from NHS services in the East of England. He shares the stories of several patients who are desperate to recover from their eating disorders, but have been discharged from specialist services because they are not showing progress in recovery. The article looks at the growth of a narrative that suggests some patients should not be treated if their eating disorder has reached a very severe state and highlights the way that this may be affecting practice and posing a significant risk to patient safety.