Recent figures from the HSE reveal that nearly 90 individuals are currently on waiting lists for eating disorder treatment across Ireland, reports Breaking News.
A report obtained by BreakingNews shows that as of September 1st, there were 88 people awaiting access to eating disorder services.
This marks a slight improvement from March of this year, when 92 individuals were on similar waiting lists, reports Breaking News.
Depending on the region, wait times for an initial assessment can range from one week to as long as 26 weeks.
There are currently 11 dedicated Eating Disorder teams functioning within the HSE, with three more in the process of being staffed.
The region with the largest number of patients awaiting services is HSE South West—which includes Cork and Kerry—with 42 people on the list, reports Breaking News.
In HSE Dublin and South East—which provides services for South-East Dublin, Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and most of Wicklow—there are 26 people waiting.
Within HSE Dublin and North East, which covers areas such as North Dublin, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, and most of Cavan, 10 people are currently on waiting lists, reports Breaking News.
The HSE Dublin and Midlands area—which serves Dublin South City and West, Dublin South West, Kildare, West Wicklow, Laois, Offaly, Longford, and Westmeath—has seven individuals waiting.
Meanwhile, in HSE West and South West, which includes Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, West Cavan, Mayo, Galway, and Roscommon, only three people are on waiting lists, reports Breaking News.
According to the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders (NCP-ED), between one and four per cent of the population will be affected by eating disorders at some point.
These disorders arise from a mix of genetic, biological, and psychosocial influences and can affect people of all genders, ages, cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds, reports Breaking News.
Data from the Health Research Board earlier this year revealed that hospital admissions for minors with eating disorders have doubled in just five years.
Between 2018 and 2022, more than 1,500 children were admitted to hospital due to eating disorders.
The HSE recognises four primary types of eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder (BED), and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), reports Breaking News.
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