About Ellern Mede
Ellern Mede has been providing evidence-based specialised treatment for children and young people with eating disorders since 2000. We support children and young people as inpatients aged 8 to 18 years as well as young adults aged 18 to 25, and outpatients aged 12 to 25. We offer a full care pathway to achieve exceptional rates of recovery. We can assist young people who are emerging from CAMHS to continue into adult services, to the community or back home. We never give up on a patient. Here at Ellern Mede we see beyond the young person’s illness to the whole person, giving individualised, confidential, supportive care that allows them to blossom..
We have three CQC-regulated hospitals and a fourth awaiting CQC registration. Ellern Mede Ridgeway has two childrens’ wards and two cottages and an OFSTED-outstanding rated school. It has a capacity for up to 28 patients, most of them in terms of a pre-arranged NHS CAMHS contract but with some provision for private admissions. Ellern Mede Barnet and Ellern Mede Ridgeway are both in North London. Ellern Mede Barnet has a children’s ward, an adult ward and an annex. It has a capacity for up to 16 patients and is also a base for our Community Services for outpatients. Ellern Mede Moorgate is in Rotherham, South Yorkshire and has a children’s ward and an adult ward and an OFSTED-rated school. It has a capacity for 12 patients. Ellern Mede Derby is awaiting CQC registration and is in the village of Breaston, Derbyshire. Ellern Mede Schools are separately funded by education authorities. They permit young people to avoid disruption, continue to receive an outstanding education, even while they are in hospital.
Admission Criteria
We work in partnership with NHS England, the North Central and East London Provider Collaborative (NCEL) for contracted beds, as well as with CCGs and spot purchasing NHS bodies. We also provide some private Tier 3 and Tier 4 specialist eating disorder services for people who are self-funding or insurance funded. This can be from anywhere in the UK. Our online community service takes patients from UK and internationally.
- Age 8-18 years AND Age 18-25
- Diagnosis of an eating disorder with or without co-morbidities
- Informal or Detained under the Mental Health Act
- Eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS)
- Pervasive Withdrawal Syndrome (PWS) or Pervasive Refusal Syndrome (PRS)
Ellern Mede Ridgeway, Ellern Mede Barnet and Ellern Mede Moorgate are all regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Ellern Mede Schools 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 CQC Report for Ellern Mede Moorgate
– Read the latest Ofsted Reports for Ellern Mede Schools
We have inpatient and outpatient services for a full range of eating disorders and food related anxiety disorders. Our eating disorder treatment focuses on family participation, including Family-based Therapy (FBT), Systemic Family Therapy, and skills-based family meal support, in some cases available in the family home. Our multidisciplinary treatments span psychiatry, psychology, dietetics, occupational therapy, social work, nursing and healthcare.
Who we treat
- Children and young people aged 8 – 18 and 18 to 25, diagnosed with an eating disorder
- Early stage potential eating disorders in Outpatients ages 12 to 25.
- Children and young adults and their families
- Young people with Pervasive Arousal Withdrawal Syndrome
- People diagnosed with an eating disorder and detained in terms of the Mental Health Act as inpatients
- People with eating disorders as well as physical or other mental conditions
Range of eating disorders we treat
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Food related Anxiety Disorders
- Pervasive Arousal Withdrawal Syndrome
Treatment Programmes
- Inpatient High Dependency Unit
- Inpatient and Outpatient tailored packages
- Day patient / outpatient
Treatment locations
Ellern Mede Ridgeway inpatient / outpatient hospital in Mill Hill London
Ellern Mede Barnet inpatient / outpatient hospital in Barnet, London
Ellern Mede Moorgate inpatient/ outpatient hospital in Rotherham, South Yorkshire
Ellern Mede Derby inpatient / outpatient hospital in Breaston, Derbyshire
Our NHS Referrals Officer or Private Patient Co-ordinator will advise you after you fill in the appropriate form on our website for an enquiry. See https://ellernmede.org/making-an-enquiry/ Due to high demand the best way to apply is always via our website.
We see patients develop the confidence to face challenges that previously seemed insurmountable. We never give up. We give the patient as much time as they need to grow stronger at their own pace, Discharge planning is evident throughout every programme.
Dr Hind Al-Khairulla, Medical Director
Our philosophy of care
Our goal is to help the patient to develop trust in the team and use us 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. We never give up on a patient. Here at Ellern Mede we see beyond the illness, recognising the whole person. We offer individualised, confidential, supportive care which encourages the young person to blossom.
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.”