Eating Disorders Awareness Week takes place from the 2nd – 8th March 2020, marking out a time to focus on the need for early intervention, dedicated services and stigma reduction around these serious mental disorders.
This week provides an opportunity for professionals working in the area of eating disorder care to emphasise, to the public and fellow professionals alike, that reliable recovery from an eating disorder is not only hoped for, but a very realistic outcome with evidence-based practice.
With the hopes of stirring up much-needed conversation and promoting learning in this arena, a number of educational public and professional events will take place nationally throughout the week:
The 5th Irish National Eating Disorders Conference
Friday 28th February 2020, Dublin. The programme for the Conference includes a Families and Carers session convened by Nick and Carol Pollard, whose own daughter, Dr Elizabeth McNaught, had anorexia nervosa as an adolescent. Elizabeth is currently co-authoring the “Oxford specialist handbook on eating disorders” alongside Professor Janet Treasure from the Maudsley Hospital in London – a very welcome publication.
For information on the programme and conference booking, see here.
Bodywhys PiLar Programme
Various Dates and Locations beginning March 2020. Based on the idea of ‘Peer-led Resilience’, this free programme is held regularly and aims to address the needs of supporters, parents and family members of people of all ages with an eating disorder over four weekly sessions lasting 2 hours.
For upcoming dates, see here.
Eating Disorder Public Information evening
Wednesday, 4th March, Mullingar Park Hotel, Westmeath. This public information session is free and organised by Longford/Westmeath Mental Health services, in collaboration with Bodywhys.
See further details here.
Eating Disorders app – launch by the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders (NCPED)
Thursday 5th March, Dublin. The HSE National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders (whose partner organisations are The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland and Bodywhys), launched their Model of Care in January 2018. One of the central aims of the programme is improvement of patient experience. In response to the need for accurate accessible information readily available on smartphones, an app has been developed by the NCPED and will be launched on March 5th in Dublin. The app is for people worried about developing an eating disorder, people who have been diagnosed or are recovering from an eating disorder, the family and friends who provide care for them as well as to our GP colleagues, primary care staff and those who deliver mental health services from public health to secondary care.
Further information can be found on the HSE National Clinical Programme website.
Eating Disorders Training and Awareness Conference
Thursday 5th March, Sligo Park Hotel. This free conference is aimed at GPs and Healthcare Professionals and is being organised by Sligo Adult Mental Health Services.
Further information on the programme and registration can be found here.
An Evening of Hope and Recovery
Thursday 5th March, Marine Hotel, Sutton, Dublin 13. Organised by Lois Bridges Eating Disorders Treatment Centre, this event is free and open to all. Information on treatment pathways in eating disorder care will feature, as well as inspirational stories of recovery.
Further information can be found on the Facebook page for this event.
A Study Day on “Medical Aspects of Eating Disorders in Children & Adolescents” was also held on 20th February 2020, in partnership between the Paediatric Department in Cork University Hospital and The Child & Adolescent Regional Eating Disorders Service Cork/Kerry, a great example of active collaboration between acute hospitals.
In keeping with this year’s theme, “Let’s Talk About It”, Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2020 will see a number of further information stands on eating disorders in acute adult and paediatric hospitals in Cork and Dublin. Information will be available for both staff and public.
For more information on further activities or on Eating Disorders Awareness, make sure to visit Bodywhys.ie .
