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Eating disorder pioneers

  • Last modified date:
    12 March 2007
Sir Liam with Professor Hubert Lacy

Sir Liam with Professor Hubert Lacy

The Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, visited an award-winning eating disorders service on January 11, 2005, and saw its best practice methods at first hand.

The St George's Eating Disorders Service, at Springfield University Hospital in South-West London, is the largest such service in the UK. It is unique in treating patients of all ages, including very young children, and it has received an NHS Modernisation Award for its multidisciplinary team approach.

The team works across services to treat patients with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, multi-impulsive eating disorder (eating disorder with alcohol/ drug addiction and self-damaging behaviour) and the bulimic obese.

It is made up of art therapists, cognitive and behaviour therapists, dieticians, family therapists, nursing assistants, occupational therapists, psychiatric nurses, psychiatrists, psycho-dramatists, psychologists, psychodynamic therapists and social workers.

During his tour the CMO was introduced to patients and staff on three wards by Professor Hubert Lacy, who heads the service. He also took part in a patient's review meeting on one of the adult wards and was able to discuss the clinical issues in multidisciplinary work.

Prof Lacy said: 'Sir Liam thought the whole morning was extremely well organised and he had been given a great insight to the service.'

Harewood House, home of the eating disorder service at St George's

Harewood House, home of the eating disorder service at St George's

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The CMO was then taken on a tour of the National Deaf Service at the hospital, also part of South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

He was shown around the Corner House deaf child inpatient unit by Dr Peter Hindley, the deaf child and family consultant, and watched Dr Hindley conduct an outpatient appointment with a patient in York via a video conferencing link.

Dr Hindley said: 'It was a pleasure to welcome Sir Liam and to have the opportunity of discussing the issues and the struggles we sometimes face in our work.'

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