Young people with eating disorders in England on the rise

Young people with eating disorders in England on the rise Eating disorders, such as bulimia, anorexia, and binge-eating, are serious mental health problems that can severely affect the quality of life of children and their families. In the UK, it is estimated that there are 1.25 million people with eating disorders, and a disproportionate number are below the age of 25.

Published NHS figures show a large and recent increase in the numbers of hospital admissions for young people due to eating disorders. Of the 24,300 hospital admissions (up from 13,200 in 2015-16) for those with eating disorders in 2020-21, almost half were under the age of 25 (11,700). While the large majority of those affected are young women – 10,800 women and girls admitted in 2020-21, admissions of young men have more than doubled in that time from their smaller base. Children's Commissioner

See also:

• 'Worrying' trend sees number of children with eating disorders DOUBLE in six years as experts blame social media for fuelling rise The Daily Mail
• Almost half of under-18s wait three months for eating disorder treatment Evening Standard
• Children with eating disorders not given timely access to care, NHS data shows The Guardian
• Patients ‘not thin enough’ for help as NHS battles eating disorder crisis The Independent
• Young people with eating disorders on the rise amid 'worrying' wait for treatment, analysis shows Sky News

Money Talk Toolkit for health professionals to support patients with money-related health issues

Money Talk Toolkit for health professionals to support patients with money-related health issues Developed in conjunction with the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), the Personalised Care Institute (PCI) is pleased to host the Money Talk Toolkit – created to equip health and care professionals to use personalised care approaches to identify, understand, support, and refer people with money-related health issues, in order to achieve the outcomes that most matter to them.

It follows research by the PCI and MaPS, which found that while half of health and care professionals are seeing an increase in health problems caused by money worries, nine out of 10 don’t feel equipped to discuss money matters with people.

Recognising that health needs can often arise from circumstances beyond the purely medical is a key principle of personalised care, and the Money Talk Toolkit is designed with this in mind.

Transformative, not tokenistic: the patient voice in integrated care systems

Transformative, not tokenistic: the patient voice in integrated care systems Exploring how the patient voice can embedded into system working in a meaningful and transformative way. NHS Confederation

Not by choice: the unequal impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on disempowered ethnic minority and migrant communities

Not by choice: the unequal impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on disempowered ethnic minority and migrant communities This report argues that too many of the policy decisions that were made during the Covid-19 health emergency either did not understand the evidence on inequality or ignored it, and that this was particularly true for ethnic minorities and migrants. Doctors of the World

Transfer of care

Transfer of care The information record standard for e-discharge (DAPB 4042) was first published in 2015. Despite significant investment in programme initiatives on transfers of care (e-discharge plus outpatient letters and discharge from emergency departments and mental health inpatient units) since publication, the widespread adoption and achievement of the anticipated benefits of standardised discharge summaries across the system remains disappointingly low. This review identified the challenges that have inhibited widespread adoption of the e-discharge and delivery of the anticipated benefits. Professional Record Standards Body

Court rejects appeal against NHS England over gender dysphoria treatment delays

Court rejects appeal against NHS England over gender dysphoria treatment delays ‘Extreme’ waiting times cited in case, with one claimant saying she had not received a first appointment after referral in 2017

Campaigners have lost a court of appeal challenge against NHS England over waiting times for gender dysphoria treatment.

Two transgender adults, Eva Echo and Alex Harvey, and two children, who cannot be named, brought legal action against the health service over “extreme” waiting times for a first appointment with a specialist. The Guardian

See also:

• Two transgender people who brought legal action against NHS England over 'extreme' waiting times for gender dysphoria treatment LOSE appeal bid The Daily Mail

A quarter of GPs have private medical insurance

A quarter of GPs have private medical insurance A quarter of GPs now have private medical insurance, citing concerns around waiting lists and the level of treatment available on the NHS, a Pulse survey has revealed.

The survey of 860 GPs found that 21% have their own personal private medical insurance, while 4% have it funded through employers. A further 15% said they were considering taking it out.

Respondents said that they have been compelled to take private insurance because ‘NHS waiting lists are too long’, and that they were unable to take sick days due to the intensity of the work in general practice.

GPs will be urged to refer patients to life coaches instead of signing them off sick

GPs will be urged to refer patients to life coaches instead of signing them off sick GPs may be urged to refer Brits to life coaches instead of just automatically signing them off sick, it was claimed today. 

Ministers hope the planned shake-up could help tackle the UK's sick note crisis, with a record 2.5m people now on long-term sick leave.

Fit notes — handed out by doctors, physiotherapists and pharmacists — are currently issued to patients who've been off work ill for over a week. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Evaluation of the Healthled Employment Trials Department for Work and Pensions