Successful intensive eating disorder service expands
A specialist day treatment service run by Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) has expanded after successfully helping more than 50 young people manage the physical and psychological impact of an eating disorder.
The service provides intensive treatment for 13 to 18-year-olds from across the region – including Suffolk – either virtually or in-person at the Lighthouse Centre at Hellesdon Hospital in Norwich.
It has proved such a success since its launch in summer 2022 that it has now become the first in the region to pilot a new virtual weekend service. This offers tailored support during mealtimes, which can be particularly challenging for both the young people and their families.
The weekend service comes as part of a wider pilot spearheaded by the East of England Provider Collaborative and is part of a national drive to reduce admissions to inpatient units.
Tania Pombeiro, Senior Systemic Family Psychotherapist with the service, said: “We are proud that we have been able to provide such effective treatment to so many young people since we opened our doors.
“We support young people who may otherwise need treatment in an inpatient unit, and help them to overcome some of the obstacles they may be facing so that they can continue their treatment in the community while staying connected with family and friends.
“Young people will come to us for up to 12 weeks and will be offered a wide range of tailored interventions, while their families and carers will be given support and education to help them care for their child at home. The virtual weekend pilot expands this offer to seven days a week for the very first time and has been very well-received by both young people and their families.”
Staff at the centre provide a combination of therapeutic family, individual and group work, as well as supporting the child with educational learning and practical help, such as meal coaching. They can care for between six and eight young people from anywhere in the east of England at one time, including Suffolk.
The treatment pathway is tailored to each young person’s specific needs and social circumstances. They will attend either in-person or virtual group sessions to work through common issues such as perfectionism, anxiety, difficulties managing change, rigid thinking patterns and emotional over-regulation. One-to-one nursing and psychological interventions, along with family therapy and carer support, are also available to help parents understand how to offer support to their loved ones at home while improving relationships and wellbeing.
Kieron Loane, Specialist Operational Manager for Norfolk, Waveney and Suffolk Eating Disorder Services, said: “We are delighted to have led the way in developing this innovative and effective alternative to admission for young people with an eating disorder.
“We are currently the only hub to pilot the virtual weekend service and look forward to seeing the positive impact this added intervention will have on young people and their families as the pilot progresses.”
Anthony Deery, Chief Nurse with NSFT, said: “This vital service is playing a crucial role in helping us to provide safer, kinder, better care to young people on a day treatment basis. This is really positive for our service users, as it means they can benefit from specialist interventions without being admitted to an inpatient unit.
“We are proud to be the first trust in the region to pilot the new virtual weekend service, which will offer tailored mealtime support for families so that they can continue to successfully support the young person in the comfort of their own home.”
Dr Simona Dumitriu, Children and Young People’s Clinical Lead with the East of England Provider Collaborative, said: “The Lighthouse team has continued to lead confidently in developing and piloting additional interventions as part of the regional intensive community model. The weekend offer comes now in response to families’ views regarding the support they require to achieve stability.
“We will continue to build on the learnings developed in this part of the pilot the next steps in the regional pathway.”
Andy Graham, Managing Director of the East of England Provider Collaborative, said: “It is fantastic to be working with NSFT on this important initiative which transforms the way that care and treatment is offered to young people who have an eating disorder. This truly delivers our aim to provide better care, closer to home and outside of hospital where possible.”