Eating Disorders Service (Adult)

Criteria:

• 18 years old and above
• Has a primary mental health diagnosis
• Under care of Community Mental Health Team
• Lives within West Yorkshire
• Disordered eating (symptoms of, or diagnosis) including Anorexia, Bulimia or Binge Eating

• Promote independence in the community and reduce the opportunity for hospital admissions associated with disordered eating
• Provide education around disordered eating and care planning to increase knowledge and awareness for safe management in the community
• Provide practical support and guidance around meal planning and regular eating to improve physical health
• Provide education and advice around physical risk monitoring, including liasing with GPs when necessary
• Offer peer support from our specialist peer support workers who have lived experience
• Regular communication with CONNECT – The West Yorkshire Adult Eating Disorder Service to support appropriate referrals

Link-ED is the newest addition to the eating disorder services, beginning it’s journey in 2020. Kurt, our operational manager of The West Yorkshire Adult Eating Disorder Service, has explained why Link-ED came about below.

Link-ED was formed as part of the national community mental health transformation project that is outlined in the NHS long term plan. The ambition for adults with eating disorders is to provide greater control and choice over their care, reduce waiting times and improve access to high quality, evidence-based treatment.

In West Yorkshire, there is a gap in specialist eating disorder treatment for people who do not meet the criteria of the regional specialist service; CONNECT. Reducing this gap is a local priority and Link-ED represents a starting point to improve regional access to eating disorder services.

When the Link-ED model is implemented, we will see the establishment of dedicated community-based services, an early intervention model and avoidance of treatment thresholds such as BMI and weight. The team will provide specialist support to community mental health teams and will continue to identify gaps to further improve eating disorder treatment across West Yorkshire.

Rachael, Service Manager

“I am Rachael, the Clinical Team Manager for Link-ED team.

I have worked in this role since September 2022. I look forward to being part of the service, watching it grow and develop. Our main role is to support individuals who have a primary mental health issue alongside their disordered eating.

I am a dietitian by background and have worked in mental health since 2015. I specialised in eating disorders in 2018 and have worked in both CONNECT, the tier 3 specialist community team and Ward 6, the tier 4 specialist eating disorder ward. Being part of an individual’s personal recovery journey is very special, supporting with both the positive and difficult times they face along the way. I always have hope and admiration.”

Georgia, Highly Specialist Practitioner

“I’m Georgia, a Highly Specialist Practitioner in the Link-ED team.

I am a Mental Health Nurse by background and since qualifying in 2017 I have worked within an eating disorders setting. I am excited that this role allows me to support people in the community at all stages of their recovery journey! I feel privileged to support people along this journey and help them discover a life where the eating disorder/disordered eating isn’t in control! I look forward to meeting you.”

 

 

Tori, Specialist Practitioner

“Hi, I’m Tori, a Specialist Practitioner for the Wakefield area in Link-ED.

I became a mental health nurse in 2019, but have worked in mental health in various capacities for many years. I qualified as a clinical hypnotherapist in 2007 then went on to study counselling, becoming a person-centred counsellor in 2009, where I worked in substance misuse and later in a service supporting victims of domestic violence. I have travelled the world with colleagues from The Hearing Voices Network in Sheffield training professionals how to work with patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Within this role we organised workshops and conferences on various mental health topics. I have also worked at Leeds Mind supporting clients by facilitating groups and undertaking one-to-one work.

In my spare time I enjoy playing hockey and play for Barnsley ladies hockey team. I like to sing, practise yoga and travel to nice warm countries for holidays!”

 

 

CJ, Peer Support Worker

“I’m CJ, one of the Peer Support Workers for Link-ED.

At 17, I was diagnosed with Anorexia alongside other mental health conditions. Through my journey, I experienced binging and othorexic tendencies as well. Unfortunately, my condition didn’t quite meet the criteria of the existing services, meaning I wasn’t eligible for any support. That is why I am excited to be in this role; I am passionate about helping people in a similar experience have a greater quality of life, sooner. I enjoy working on my self-development through hobbies and self-help tools, such as hiking, yoga, reading, and journalling, and feel extremely lucky to be in a role where I can support other people in their own journey. I studied a Diploma in Personal Performance Coaching and always look to continue building my knowledge. I have a background of dance and retail, so I understand some of the pressures these industries can add, and some helpful ways to navigate through these difficulties.”

Han, Eating Disorder Peer Support Worker

“I’m Han, a Peer Support Worker for Link-ED.

In 2015, I was diagnosed with Bulimia Nervosa alongside Anorexic tendencies and other mental health conditions. I struggled to gain the right help that I needed but after being passed from pillar to post, eventually that light bulb moment happened for me, and I began my recovery journey. I’ve now been in recovery for over five years. I came into this role wanting to support others, through the struggles that an eating disorder brings into everyday life and enable them in their recovery journey. My aim is to create a safe place, where you feel comfortable and heard so we can navigate the path that will work best for you.”

Step one – Identify the Service User

If you work within the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT), or the Primary Care Network (PCN), you may have a service user who has a formal diagnosis, or has symptoms of disordered eating. If this comes secondary to their primary mental health diagnosis, then we may be able to support.

Step two – Make a referral to Link-ED

To send a referral to our service, please complete the referral form and return to our service email Link-ED.

Step three – Await a response

Once you have made a referral, it will be triaged by our team. We currently have a fortnightly request meeting to discuss cases, and how we can best support them.

Once we have reviewed your case, we will make contact to confirm the outcome.

Step four – Intake

If the service user is supported by our team, we will arrange contact which may involve additional questions to gain more information, including physical health monitoring and disordered eating behaviours (current and historic). This will help us build a clearer picture of the service users experience, and inform us how we can best support them going forward, using our pathway traffic light system.

Step five – Identify a care plan

Once we have gathered as much information as we can, we will identify a care plan best suited to the service user.

We are an intervention based service, offering a combination of group and one-to-one support.

We can attend professionals meetings, discuss potential referral into the CONNECT service where appropriate, and consider inpatient admissions etc.

Step six – Review if necessary

Peer Support

Peer Support is the coming together of two or more peers, sharing lived experience to build empathetic understanding and authentic connections, allowing them to work towards improved wellbeing, by feeling heard and supported.

Part of our service offering, we currently have two Peer Support workers, both with lived experience of an eating disorder. We work with a person-centred approach. through 1:1 sessions or groups, to support a person’s journey. We share stories from our own journey and recovery, coping tools and more, whilst creating a sense of understanding, belonging and hope

In accordance with the Peer Support charter, there are 9 principles of Peer Support: commonality, trust, diversity, empathy, hope, solidarity, mutual benefit, equality and self-determination. (the production of the Peer Support charter was peer led and facilitated by a combination of statutory and voluntary sector organisations across Sussex).

Unlike traditional therapy support, Peer Support can involve and range of activities to help support a service user in their journey. This could range from conversations about waht is going on and goal setting, to activities like crafts or walks. Sometimes the activities done are ‘fear’ zones for service users, so having someone to do it with them provides support and reassurance, and ultimately help them build confidence. By working through fear zones, such as eating in public, people can begin to remove blocks and gradually build an overall improvement to the quality of their life.

Open Access Pathway

In Link-ED, we share the facilitation of the Open Access Pathway. This is our open support beyond the service including support groups and Instagram. For more information, see the Open Access Pathway tab on the Home page.