Admission Criteria
About Ellern Mede
We accept NHS England, NHS spot purchase and privately funded GP-referred patients. We work in partnership with the NHS, families and other professionals. If we are unable to help, for example due to bed availability, or because the condition requires a greater level of care than we can offer in Outpatients, we will help to sign post you to other treatment options. Patients and Families who enquire for themselves are given advice to go to their GP to seek an appropriate referral based on a GP examination and blood tests.
- Age 8-18 years and Age 18 – 25
- Diagnosis of an eating disorder, with or without co-morbidities, by an NHS GP or other clinician.
- Informal (meaning a voluntary patient)
- Formal (meaning detained in terms of the Mental Health Act
- Eating disorders not otherwise specified such as selective eating, binge eating disorder, (EDNOS) or Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
- Pervasive Arousal Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) also known as Pervasive Refusal Syndrome (PRS)
Ellern Mede Ridgeway, Ellern Mede Barnet, and Ellern Mede Moorgate as well as satellite Ellern Mede Outpatient services, are all regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Ellern Mede School and Ellern Mede Moorgate School are regulated by OfSTED.
– Read the latest CQC Report for Ellern Mede Ridgeway
– Read the latest CQC Report for Ellern Mede Barnet
– Read the latest Ofsted Report for Ellern Mede School
We have inpatient and outpatient services for a full range of eating disorders and food related anxiety disorders as well as eating disorder treatment focusing on family participation including skills-based family meal support and family therapy. We offer a unique approach to eating disorder treatment, with one of the greatest degrees of family participation available anywhere in the world.
Who we treat
- Children and young people aged 8 – 18 diagnosed with an eating disorder
- Children and young people and their families
- Young adults aged 18 – 25 diagnosed with an eating disorder
- People diagnosed with an eating disorder who are either voluntary patients or who are detained in terms of the Mental Health Act
- People with eating disorders as well as physical disabilities
Range of eating disorders we treat
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Food related Anxiety Disorders
- Pervasive Arousal Withdrawal Syndrome
Treatment Programmes
- Inpatient High Dependency Unit
- Inpatient General Eating Disorder Wards
- Graded leave transition programmes to prepare for discharge
- Outpatient tailored packages
- Day patient / outpatient intensive support
Treatment locations
Ellern Mede Ridgeway inpatient hospital in Mill Hill London
Ellern Mede Barnet inpatient / outpatient hospital in Barnet, London
Ellern Mede outpatient services, Wimpole Street, London
Our Inpatient or Outpatient Referrals Teams will be happy to advise on the most appropriate service for you.
We see patients develop the confidence to face challenges that previously seemed insurmountable. We give the patient as much time as they need to grow stronger at their own pace.
Our philosophy of care
Our goal is to help the patient to develop trust in the team and use Ellern Mede as a resource to gain the strength, esteem and confidence to challenge the illness. We help young people manage their disorder and live their life without the disorder controlling them.
Dr Hind Al-Khairulla, Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Director explains: “Our therapists help people to see that the Eating Disorder is not part of their identity. We support the person to take control of their disorder. When they know they have the support of a strong group of understanding and expert clinicians as well as their family and friends, this gives them the confidence to face challenges which previously seemed impossible to overcome.”
Dr Hind Al-Khairulla, Clinical Director
“Our belief is never to give up on any patient and to continue having hope no matter how unwell they may be.”
Nancy Maicoo, Director of Clinical Operations
“We have a high success rate with patients because we commit extraordinary resource in terms of skilled staff, close observation and care, the best therapies and an approach that involves not just the patient but their close relatives as well.”
We encourage regular family visits
Parent: “A great big thank you to all and especially for allowing our visits to be as frequent as possible over the weekend around meal and snack times. Due to our flight times you kindly adapted the schedule to give us our quality mother and son time.”
Patient letter to Dr Hind Al Khairulla
“Thank you so much for what you have done for me. You are the kindest, most warm-hearted amazing person I have ever met. I remember the days when I used to just pace up and down. You taught me to cope with stressful situations in ways other than exercise. I’m sure hundreds of other kids will benefit from your support.”