SOCIAL Democrats councillor Elisa O’Donovan has openly criticised the lack of specialist services for people living with eating disorders in the Mid West region.
After meeting recently with people living with eating disorders and their families in Limerick, Cllr O’Donovan told this newspaper that it is completely unacceptable that there are currently no specialist eating disorder services in Limerick, Clare, or North Tipperary.
“Nor does the HSE have plans to develop any in the Mid West,” she told the Limerick Post.
“Despite eating disorders being the psychiatric condition with the highest mortality rate, this is an area that is constantly under-resourced by the Government.”
Cllr O’Donovan also met with members of CARED Ireland (Caring About Recovery for Eating Disorders), a voluntary group that have campaigned for over 10 years with many members based in the Mid West.
The City West representative also stressed the urgent need for specialised inpatient facilities for people living with eating disorders at University Hospital Limerick.
“There are currently no beds available for people with eating disorders, despite a 32 per cent rise in adult admissions and 61 per cent rise for children and adolescents to emergency departments,” she claimed.
“This is despite a Government commitment, when Simon Harris was Minister for Health, to deliver 20 new beds by 2023. In the past six years, however, there has been zero funding for the additional inpatient beds promised.
“Eating disorders are serious and complex. Those requiring specialist treatment in the Mid West region must not be abandoned by the Government.”
