"Southampton/Hampshire Eating Disorder Clinic"

Many people with an eating disorder can find it extremely difficult to ask for help with their illness, and can wait months before seeking it. Some even feel they don’t deserve treatment. Having to wait so long once you have been brave enough to try to get help must be really hard to bear, especially if you are worried that your eating disorder could be getting worse in the meantime.

There are some steps you can take. Please make sure your GP knows the full situation, and ask them to do regular medical monitoring of your condition.

If you can, make sure that your family and friends know about your illness. Eating disorders thrive on secrecy, so getting your ‘personal support team’ in place and on your side now will give the eating disorder nowhere to hide.

Check out the helplines, groups and on-line support available from the eating disorders charity Beat at www.b-eat.co.uk. No one shold have to face an eating disorder on their own. Beat has a UK wide network of support available, so see what there is that you or your familiy would find helpful.

Eating disorders can be beaten, recovery is possible. Keep hold of your hope.

Susan Ringwood

Chief Executive

Beat

Thank you very much for taking the time to provide us with your comments regarding your wait to be treated at April House.

Unfortunately, our treatment waiting list is currently approximately 6-8 months. As an organisation, we are aware of this and are doing everything we can to reduce this to a more acceptable waiting time.

We have recently appointed an additional Therapist who will shortly be starting in post and are advertising for another full time Therapist. Both of these Therapists will focus entirely on reducing the waiting times.

We would also advise anyone who feels that their situation is deteriorating, whilst they are on our waiting list, to see their GP for a further review who can then liaise with our service again.

Kind regards

Ben Prior

Complaints and PALS Officer