Eating Disorders HIT 2022-23
Co-directors Sanni Norweg and Christine Ramsey-Wade look back at the HIT's achievements in the last year.
- 1st April 2023
Addressing inequalities in ED provision
Around 130 healthcare professionals, researchers and members of the public joined the EDHIT annual conference in October 2022 to discuss Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in eating disorders. The event raised awareness of the specific needs of people living with EDs from marginalised communities, with a focus on race, religion, LGBTQ+ and autism. Everyone who attended said the content was relevant to them professionally and will have a positive impact on clinical practice, helping to create more inclusive ED services nationally.
Developing public engagement
The HIT held a successful in-person public engagement event at the Arnolfini in February 2023. The theme was ‘Words that inspire’, centring on the use of poetry and creative writing in eating disorder recovery. People affected by eating disorders attended from Bristol and surrounding areas.
Providing easy-to-access resources
The ED Support app, which the HIT launched in January 2022, has been downloaded more than 17,000 times, thanks to promotion by patient representatives and links made with services locally and nationally. The app is also available on REMEDY, the platform used by Bristol GPs, and is also available on Bath GP platforms.
EDHIT has also updated its Support and Resources Guide to make it more inclusive, appealing and targeted to Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG).
Improving access to services
EDHIT helps address the problems of delays in referrals to specialist services and access to community support and treatment, through co-director Sanni Norweg’s chairing of the BNSSG ED steering group.
This year regional eating disorder charity SWEDA began working in Bristol and is expanding across the region, and an early intervention pathway in the community eating disorder service is enabling swifter referrals from GPs and local universities. This has meant nearly all patients are now being seen within four weeks, and the existing waiting list has been halved.
Funding enabled in 2022-23
EDHIT helped secure £24,402 in 2022-23 for research, improving outcomes and addressing health inequalities.
