Eating disorders: national network minutes – June 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Cathy Richards, chair of the network, Scottish Government
• Katherine Morton, clinical advisor, Scottish Government
• Fiona Duffy, clinical advisor, Scottish Government
• Anne Joice, head of programme for the psychological interventions team adult mental health (PITAMH), NES attending on behalf of Fiona Calder
• Stephen Anderson, consultant psychiatrist, Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC)
• Sam Aitcheson, consultant clinical psychologist NHS Grampian, chair of the leads for adult psychology ED network
• Carol Morgan, Dudhope CAMHS inpatient unit carer’s support worker
• Alex Jones, national lead, BEAT
• Hazel Cain, advanced clinical nurse specialist, CAMHS North of Scotland (NoS)
• Hazel Elliot, NHS Scottish dietetic eating disorders clinical forum
• Scottish Government officials

Apologies

• Ellen Maloney, lived experience, peer researcher at the University of Edinburgh
• Julie Coppola, charge nurse, community eating disorder service, NHS Ayrshire and Arran
• Julie Hogg-Weld, SupportED operations director
• Louise Johnston, chair, faculty of eating disorders of the Royal college of Psychiatrists in Scotland
• Rachael Smith, consultant clinical psychologist, professional lead CAMHS, NHS Grampian, chair of CAMHS ED group and chair of child heads of psychology (CHOPS)
• Ruairidh Mckay, consultant psychiatrist, regional eating disorder unit (REDU) NHS Lothian, co-chair of the adult IPU network
• Lesley Pillans, associate specialist psychiatrist, Eden Unit NHS Grampian, Clinical Lead NoS EDMCN and clinical lead for EEATS
• Diane Kane, senior occupational therapist NHS Lanarkshire, chair of the OT ED network
• Fiona Calder, head of programme for CAMHS NES, and consultant clinical psychologist NHS GGC

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

The chair opened the meeting and welcomed attendees. An update was provided on actions from the previous meeting, including discussion on the most effective way to distribute the newsletter. Technical issues had arisen when using Sway, due to Scottish Government confidentiality requirements; however, a solution has now been identified. Members were also asked to submit brief biographies to enhance the network webpage, and those who had not yet done so were reminded to provide theirs. It was noted that SupportED have appointed a new director of operations, who will be joining the network.

Actions:

• members to provide feedback on the newsletter format and to submit updates for the newsletter
• members who have not yet submitted a short biography for the network webpage to do so

Scottish Government update

A Scottish Government official gave an update on recent activity including the newly appointed Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing, Mr. Arthur. Videos with contributions from service users and clinicians, are in development in partnership with NHS 24 for NHS inform. A staggered release is planned depending on availability of contributors. Work is also underway with Beat’s lived experience panel (LEP) to explore what additional content might support early intervention and self-help. The self-assessment tool has been issued to health boards alongside a letter from Gavin Gray, deputy director, asking them to assess themselves against the national specification. The returns were due on 13 June but if any boards struggled with meeting that deadline, please get in touch to discuss an extension. A new dedicated eating disorders webpage has been launched on the Scottish Government website dedicated to eating disorders and work that is happening in this space.

National eating disorders network update

The Scottish Government have updated the eating disorders content in the NHS inform webpage. We also have the easy-read version of the Specification and are working on translated versions and planned inclusion of lived experience and clinician videos.

The chair asked members to think creatively about how to promote new NHS inform content. Suggestions included:

• promotion using social media
• working closely with Beat who have stronger social media reach
• leveraging primary care channels such as GP subcommittees via area clinical forums (NHS Grampian) and
• primary care mental health liaison nurses (NHS Lanarkshire)

Officials confirmed a communications package will be created for social media once materials are published. Beat expressed willingness to assist in promoting content through their UK-wide and Scotland-specific social media and officials offered to liaise with GP policy colleagues and practice manager networks to disseminate information more broadly.

Self-assessment tool

The self-assessment audit tool aims to assess alignment with the Specification across CAMHS and adult services, inform improvement plans, and raise awareness at board level. It was recently completed by most boards and provided useful data for planning network priorities over the next 18 months.

Self-assessment tool feedback discussion

The chair asked members to reflect on the process of completing the tool within their boards, how has the tool impacted awareness of the specification among senior managers, what are their plans to engage stakeholder groups with the findings, and how that feedback can be looped back into the network.

Network members reported mixed awareness and engagement. Some clinicians were not aware while others used collaborative team meetings to complete the audit, which worked well. In some cases, adults and CAMHS teams worked in parallel rather than together, missing potential cross-learning.

Positive reflections included that this process helped teams better understand the specification, provided opportunities for local services to reflect and identify priorities, and raised awareness with some senior management.

Challenges reported included that the tool may be too lengthy or complex, lack of piloting before rollout which may have affected uptake and consistency, risk that the audit remains at local levels and doesn’t reach board-level decision-makers.

The Scottish Government sees its role as offering support, not to scrutinise, and is working with the standards team and board engagement leads to coordinate implementation alongside other relevant standards. There are no immediate plans for formal pilot sites, but implementation will be phased and iterative.

A discussion was held in relation the network members’ role. Members are encouraged to use their own networks to both share information and bring feedback to the network. For example, the Scottish dietitians group includes the network and the specification as a standing agenda item and is actively engaging dietitians in conversations about the audit tool. Chairs of stakeholder groups were encouraged to give feedback at network meetings and informal feedback between meetings is welcomed via email. The network advisors are available to attend stakeholder meetings to offer clarification and support where needed, subject to availability.

A need for a clearer roadmap for implementation was mentioned. There is a desire for collaboration between clinicians and managers, especially in boards facing financial or resourcing challenges. A link with HoPS (heads of psychology services) is seen as crucial to strengthening this connection. The chair has a planned meeting with the SG psychology adviser and will discuss this.

In the North of Scotland, regional governance meetings are exploring hub-and-spoke models for delivering intensive home treatment, including eating disorder care. The audit tool has raised awareness of local variation and feasibility concerns, feeding into those regional discussions.

Action: officials to circulate the self-assessment tool.

The chair reminded attendees that a joint webinar with Beat focusing on implementing the specification was planned for Tuesday 24 June. Topics of discussion will include: self-referral processes, outcome measurement and health inequalities.

Involving people with lived experience remains a key area of interest across services and was raised in audit returns and direct contact with the network. A discussion was held to understand how the network can support this. Examples from clinical practice include co-delivery of education for nursing students, monthly carer coffee mornings and regular feedback opportunities. A Member also recorded a podcast with both a carer and someone with lived experience that was also impactful. Some boards are restarting use of patient satisfaction questionnaires which were paused during COVID. NHS GGC reported improved engagement with feedback since adopting the red star digital platform, which allows integration of physical health monitoring, outcome measures, and patient satisfaction surveys.

Beat offered to support boards and emphasis was given on the importance of a non-tokenistic involvement, with payment offered to support participation of people with lived experience. Boards often lack budgets for this type of engagement but Beat may help by providing accessible, geographically diverse voices. Capacity of the LEP is limited, but could be explored depending on priorities.

ARFID pathways

A discussion was held around ARFID pathways. In NHS Grampian, a pathway is been developed which it is mental health dietetics-led. They are happy to share more information as work progresses and offered to present this work in a future network meeting.

NHS Lothian are developing an ARFID pathway with a wider group across CAMHS and adult Services. The British dietetic association (BDA) have published ARFID guidance and offer helpful resources. A CAMHS multidisciplinary ARFID pathway group is developed specific to paediatric populations. Some boards in NHS England have commissioned ARFID services but because there are differences in the systems, it is difficult to implement similar pathways in Scotland. In NHS Lanarkshire, dietitians are engaged across CAMHS and adult services and have links to peace pathway work.

Actions:

• Hazel Elliot to share existing BDA resources with the network
• consider holding a webinar in the autumn to hear what colleagues in England are doing, available resources, and what is happening in Scotland
• members to share contacts of experts with the chair and SG officials

Beat update on services

Alex Jones (AJ) provided an update on recent BEAT activity, including drawn out statistics of helpline themes. The main findings indicate that ARFID and binge eating disorder are the areas of greatest increase in recent contacts, while anorexia remains the most frequently cited reason for accessing the helpline. More broadly, it was reported that calls are becoming longer and more complex, with multiple comorbidities, delays in accessing services, and an increased need for support with self-advocacy. An overview of available funding and support programmes, as well as newly appointed staff, was also provided. On 25 September 2025, Beat are planning an ADHD and eating disorders workshop.

Action: members invited to identify champions for the beyond the symptoms training in their board.

Turas training update     

Anne Joice (AJ) gave an overview of the eating disorders proposed webpage on Turas learn. It has a landing page to signpost and consolidate fragmented resources for multidisciplinary staff across agencies working with eating disorders over the lifespan. Key discussion points included improving content categorisation to enhance usability and making resources publicly accessible, with minimal restrictions. The proposal highlighted the importance of presenting resources within a clear framework, linking to relevant materials, and ensuring quality assurance processes are followed. Enhancing access to specialist resources and reviewing/updating content regularly were also discussed.

Alongside the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) and Health Education England (HEE), Beat developed a sequence of modules for various professions including GPs and nurses that would be interested in adding on turas. NHS England hold the relevant files which can be requested.

Action: Alex Jones to share these resources with NES colleagues when updated and available.

Consideration was given to develop a webinar aimed at the primary care level. This has been highlighted as a learning need in the North of Scotland.

Action: Anne Joice and Katherine Morton to meet and discuss the development of such a resource.

Co-ordination of training offers with the network

The chair updated the group on the meeting in place with training providers over the summer period which includes NES, EEATS, RCPsych, Beat, and SupportED to ensure best use of limited resources.

AoB

The chair advised the next network meeting will be held on Thursday 25 September, 10-12. The Scottish Government will circulate future national eating disorders network meeting dates alongside the meeting minutes.