The Wessex and Dorset Provider Collaborative has commissioned two new eating disorder day services - one in Dorset and one in Hampshire.
The eating disorder day service in Hampshire, which opened its doors to the first cohort of young people at the end of November, is based at Leigh House having being developed as part of the refurbishment of the inpatient unit on the same site.
The service, which is led by a multi-disciplinary team, supports up to 10 young people at a time with acute and severe eating disorders as an alternative to being admitted to hospital. Young people can access group and individual therapy sessions, along with mealtime support for young people and their families. The service operates from Monday to Fridays between 10am and 4pm.
The eating disorder day service in Dorset, which will be based at Pebble Lodge, will welcome the first cohort of young people w/c 8 January 2024. The service will support young people and their families who are at risk of admission to a CAMHS Tier 4 inpatient unit.
The Multi-Family Therapy Day Programme, which has been developed by Dorset Healthcare, will be delivered through the service, supporting a cohort of up to four families for four weeks at a time.
As part of the programme, the whole family will need to attend the day service for the first four days. Psychoeducational and therapeutic activities will be used to address the illness and empower families.
Community-based intensive treatment programmes such as eating disorder day services mean that young people can get timely treatment to support them in the recovery and remain at home and in their communities with their families and friends, rather than be admitted to hospital. They also offer considerable cost savings compared to inpatient services.