Eating Disorder Treatment and Programmes

Ellern Mede’s specialist Family Therapists support patients and their families, drawing on family strengths and relationships to support recovery from the eating disorder. The philosophy of care behind Ellern Mede’s family therapy work emphasises two important principles: the cause of the eating disorder is unknown; we recognise the essential role of the family in recovery.

The aim of Ellern Mede eating disorder treatment interventions is to develop skills for the patient and the patient’s family. Together, these skills and insight aid recovery. Family Therapy complements the many other therapies we offer including Psychiatry, Psychology, Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacotherapy and Social Worker support. The importance of parent and family involvement in eating disorders treatment, particularly for patients who are children or young people, cannot be emphasised enough. The ability of the family to provide consistent support and supervision is the most important variable in sustaining progress toward recovery. It is also important that the parents and clinical team work closely together in adjusting the approach and the level of support they provide in response to the patient’s progress. This programme is available to families of any patient receiving an inpatient or outpatient treatment at an Ellern Mede hospital, by arrangement.

Ellern Mede Barnet, Ellern Mede Moorgate and Ellern Mede Derby all offer intensive and general treatment programmes extending to young people from age 8 to 25. Family-oriented treatment approaches for eating disorders are effective in improving outcomes for children and young people with anorexia. The aim of our programmes include interrupting symptoms, achieving stabilisation in nutrition and weight for height, supporting child and family to gain understanding of underlying factors triggering the illness. Gradually, patients have home leave and we coach and empower parents to support the child in good management of the eating disorder at home.

One of Ellern Mede’s longest running and most effective inpatient programmes are High Dependency Programmes, most often purchased by NHS England on behalf of young people. These are now offered both at Ellern Mede Ridgeway, Ellern Mede Barnet, Ellern Mede Moorgate and Ellern Mede Derby. We are renowned for achieving results with young patients with severe and enduring eating disorders cases where many other specialist units have been unable to do so.  Patients with highly complex, challenging or chronic conditions emerge from treatment, which does take time, with the coping skills they need to live a successful and healthy life independently, and without relapse and readmission. We are also expert in treating patients with Pervasive Arousal Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS).

Young people who are, at admission, resistant to treatment, severely medically compromised, and who may have a history of serious self-harm and risk are protected and make amazing progress. We never give up, and our results continue to transform results for patients, professionals and families.

Our inpatient services span from Tier 4 CAMHS to private community, day and in-home programmes. Our high dependency service provides both medical and psychiatric treatment, specialised equipment, adapted facilities to cater for patients with limited mobility or more intense physical needs. Equipment includes cardiac monitors, defibrillators, hoists, profile beds, disability bathrooms and bedrooms and lifts. We offer medical and nursing interventions and laboratory investigations. We can provide naso-gastric feeds, pump feeds and gastrostomy feeding. These interventions are supported with high levels of specialised nursing, regular medical monitoring, psycho-social interventions, family therapy, and dietetic services.

The Ellern Mede Eating Disorder Recovery Programmes on general eating disorder wards provide physical and psychiatric stabilisation with the aim of a shorter length of stay than is necessary in high dependency wards. We admit both private and NHS patients. Everything the patient experiences in our unit has a therapeutic aspect to it, from therapy to activities and meals. Treatment is recovery-focused. Most of these patients will also attend Ellern Mede School, which is a separate funding arrangement through the relevant local authority, or privately funded.

For those patients who are able to eat with staff support we use a ‘graded’ table system combined with community based activity such as social eating.

Many patients are referred through NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHS) and return to CAMHS care in the community or Ellern Mede Community Services (EMCS) post discharge. We are happy to accept private clients for  Post Discharge and Transition support or to offer that service to provider collaboratives, CCGs, local authorities and social care bodiesMany patients come to Ellern Mede through no- NHS funded means, both from UK and other countries. We are also recognised by most medical insurers in the UK.

Each patient has an individual treatment programme and their own meal plan, developed with the support of our specialist dietetic team. Family Therapy supports both patient and the family. We promote the centrality of the family in providing support at home.

We provide weekly Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) reports on the progress of your child. Every week you and your child submit your views to be included in this report. feedback to our treating team.

Home leave is a key part of the rehabilitation phase of this treatment. We work towards discharge and provide the opportunity for the young people and their families to practise the skills they have acquired through treatment.