Publication - Minutes

Eating disorders: national network minutes - December 2025

Published: 13 March 2026
Directorate: Mental Health Directorate
Topic: Health and social care
Date of meeting: 11 December 2025

Minutes from the meeting of the group on 11 December 2025.

Part of

Eating disorders: national network

Attendees and apologies

Cathy Richards, Chair of the Network, Scottish Government
Katherine Morton, Clinical Advisor, Scottish Government
Fiona Duffy, Clinical Advisor, Scottish Government
Ellen Maloney, Lived Experience, Peer Researcher, University of Edinburgh
Hazel Elliot, NHS Scottish Dietetic Eating Disorders Clinical Forum
Hazel Cain, Advanced Clinical Nurse Specialist, CAMHS North Of Scotland
Fiona Calder, Head of Programme, CAMHS NES (NHS Education For Scotland), and Consultant Clinical Psychologist NHS GGC (Greater Glasgow And Clyde)
Anne Joice, NES Head of Programme, Psychological Interventions Team Adult Mental Health (PITAMH)
Rachael Smith, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Professional Lead CAMHS, NHS Grampian, Chair, CAMHS ED Group and Chair, Child Heads of Psychology (CHOPS)
Lesley Pillans, Associate Specialist Psychiatrist, Eden Unit NHS Grampian, Clinical Lead, North of Scotland, Managed Clinical Network (NOS EDMCN) and Clinical Lead, EEATS (Eating Disorders Education and Training Scotland)
Sam Aitcheson, Consultant Clinical Psychologist NHS Grampian, Chair, Leads for Adult Psychology ED Network
Julie Coppola, Charge Nurse, Community Eating Disorder Service, NHS Ayrshire And Arran
Louise Johnston, Chair, Faculty of Eating Disorders of The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland
Ruairidh Mckay, Consultant Psychiatrist, Regional Eating Disorder Unit (REDU) NHS Lothian, Co-Chair, Adult IPU Network
Stephen Anderson, Consultant Psychiatrist, NHS GGC
Alex Jones, National Lead, BEAT
Jordana, Co-Production Lead, BEAT
Adrienne Rennie, Representative of Lived Experience Panel (LEP)
Carol Morgan, Carer's Support Worker, Dudhope CAMHS Inpatient Unit
Chloe Duffus, Team Leader, Scottish Government
Katy Lister, Senior Policy Adviser, Scottish Government
Hannah Deane, Policy Adviser, Scottish Government

Apologies

Julie Hogg-Weld, Operations Director, SupportED
Diane Kane, Senior Occupational Therapist NHS Lanarkshire, Chair of the OT ED Network

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

The chair welcomed attendees and noted apologies. It is noted that the agenda and update from Scottish Government were included within the circulated teams meeting invite. The agenda has slightly changed, due to the North of Scotland unable to provide an update, so the time allocated for this will be used differently.

Scottish Government update

Chloe Duffus (CD) updated on eating disorder content pages and the work being progressed with NHS inform. The majority of the pages have now been published, as well as three videos now live. Links were circulated in the chat, noted below. Members were asked to share these within their own networks:

Information pages:

Videos:

Scottish Government (SG) are planning for Eating Disorders awareness week in 2026. The campaign page will be featured on NHS inform, similar to last year.

SG are also in the process of developing the self-help guide for binge eating behaviours. This won’t be ready to publish until early 2026.

There is also a new page publishing shortly on eating disorders before, during and after pregnancy.

SG officials will be putting options up to the Minister regarding the future of the Network. The end of parliamentary term is May 2026, so this will need to be factored in during decision making.

It is noted that there will be changes in the SG official teams, which will be communicated in the New Year.

Finally, the Chair advises of meetings attended since the last network meeting. These include the Heads of Psychology for Scotland, CAMHS Eating Disorders group, the Child Heads of Psychology, EEATS trainers and supervisors meeting, and LEP meetings. If there are any meetings that members would like the Chair and Clinical Advisors to attend to give some background on the Network, then please advise SG officials and the chair.

Co-production update from Lived Experience Panel (LEP)

Boards have highlighted during recent audit returns on implementing the National Specification that they wanted to include the voice of lived experience but weren’t sure how best to do that.

Representatives from LEP have been asked to have a think about what specific advice could be given to Boards to support them in engaging with those impacted by eating disorders alongside existing guidance on involving public e.g. Health and social care - Planning with People: community engagement and participation guidance.

The Chair advises that we are not trying to replicate anything that has already been done. It is recognised there is a gap around specifically thinking about people with lived experience of an eating disorder.

The chair introduced representatives from BEAT and the LEP.

The LEP representative advised that during recent meetings they have discussed how to ensure engagement is accessible for people with eating disorders and that support needs are addressed to better facilitate co-production meetings for all. It was noted that it’s important to keep language non-medicalised (and also careful of language that may be triggering)

The space should feel supportive for all people – including those at different stages of recovery from their eating disorders.

There may also be a requirement for wellbeing check-in support, given that there could be discussion around traumatic experiences, and could be co-morbidities. This should be considered for the facilitator too.

There needs to be consideration for reimbursement of time within co-production process, as well as timing for co-production discussions (out with working patterns or lunch breaks).

LEP discussed those based in rural areas, and the need to have an online option for meetings. There may also be those in digital poverty, that may require further technical support / specific time for meetings for when they have access to internet.

There should be opportunities for those with all types of eating disorders to be a part of co-production – there isn’t just “two or three types” of eating disorders (EDs). There are also lots of variations that need to be considered, so as not to be missed from discussion.

Bias needs to be addressed for those who are involved/recruiting for co-production – everyone has had a different experience. There are commonalities, but people are very different. Some feel like they can’t join in with co-production as they didn’t “have the expected or typical experience” of an eating disorder.

It’s important for those involved in co-production to have pre-meets with facilitators, to help understand what the meetings will look like, who is involved. This can help reduce anxiety, and help with preparation.

There should be regular opportunity for feedback, and reflecting back to co-production members to make sure they are being heard.

Small group discussions regarding co-production – feedback

The Chair asked members to hold in mind the above advice from LEP representatives, to direct conversations on co-production and asked what guidance would be helpful for Boards when working with people with lived/living experience of an eating disorder. Participants were divided into two breakout groups to discuss this. Some comments/feedback below were noted:

ensure the start of the guidance document details the need for reimbursement (money and voucher options)
reimbursement in boards seems to be an admin hurdle – needs more direction from SG on expectations, so as to value co-production from beginning
where can Boards access lived experience? Could there be signposting of finding lived experience. Further to this, how do we get diversity of voices? Including those still in the service/ those not yet in the service. Suggested that we use existing guidance, and BEAT
feedback isn't co-production – recognised that it can be difficult to get former patients to come back and reflect on experiences. Like LEP – more peer led, sometimes easier to communicate and facilitate
consider phrasing as 'Experts by Experience' – could include online peer support groups who could be approached for their input
consider the wellbeing of the parent giving the feedback, the person who has the ED and also the staff member who is receiving the feedback – ensure appropriate supervision and support is in place
important to identify someone (suggested a service manager) with the necessary skills – ringfence time in a job plan
can we contact already established online groups? Opportunity to hear from as at the moment we're not listening to this group
describe the different levels of co-creation at the start of the document
overall feedback on the above is that we shouldn't let the perfect get in the way of the good - need to take action

Training updates

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) updates

NES colleagues gave members a tour of TURAS pages which members know have been created to gather helpful training and resources. The plan is for this to be published in the New Year. There are still some pages that NES would like LEP to contribute to/feedback on.

In terms of other NES updates, NES advise of their ongoing training around CAMHS CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy). There is also bolt-on training specifically around CBT for working with people with Eating Disorders. They had a cohort who started in November with a follow up day in February. NES also have ongoing family-based treatment training.

In terms of adult training, NES are in the process of finalising numbers for their CBT programme. Over the last few months, they have provided CBT for eating disorder specific training, as well as CBT-T training. NES are pleased with the numbers coming into training, and will continue to offer these trainings each year.

NES are also in discussions about hosting a webinar around ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake disorder), as well as progressing further self-help resources.

ACTION: NES to add Alex Jones, BEAT to TURAS ED pages to review.

Update on Primary Care videos and credentialling

Katherine Morton (KM) provides update on ongoing work for short videos for primary care, highlighting physical risk, within the context of ensuring good communication and awareness of eating disorders. Three videos are being made. The first is a general introduction to Eating Disorders and MEED (Medical Emergencies in Eating Disorders). The second is about spotting the signs in primary care. The third is taking feedback from LEP regarding the importance of communication.

Royal College of Psychiatry Eating Disorder credentialling update – unfortunately there is no further funding available. At the moment, there won’t be any further cohorts. This has changed the remit of the short life working group. There is still a great need for post graduate education eating disorders for doctors, and all healthcare professionals working in this sub speciality. Currently thinking about how we support new developments and how to shape future meetings.

Update on webinars

Fiona Duffy (FD) advised that the Network Advisors are looking to develop some webinars based on elements of the specification. Through feedback, it’s become clear that services hearing from each other is helpful, particularly in terms of implementation of the specification. It is expected the first webinar will focus on early intervention and hearing from some Scottish services beginning implementation.

We would then look to host a second webinar on ARFID, hearing from services who have taken early steps on pathways.

Update re Mitigations and Considerations for Community Eating Disorder Services in Scotland with a Psychiatry Vacancy

KM has been working with colleagues in Scotland to get some sense of what mitigations people have been putting in place where there are existing vacancies. KM has developed a short document to support health boards to do this. There are significant vacancies across the country in psychiatry, as well as eating disorders so this is a very live problem.

The document is at present a first draft. The document signposts into other helpful guidance. It’s recognised that it’s important that consultant psychiatry job plans are realistic and allow for consultants to work safely, and to a high standard. The draft document will be circulated with the minutes.

Any other business

The chair advises that a newsletter has now been sent to members with general updates. The chair closed the meeting by encouraging members to continue sharing suggestions for future newsletters and agenda items. The next meeting will take place on 19 March 2026.

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