Eating disorders: national network minutes – September 2025

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 at the University of Edinburgh
• Hazel Elliot, NHS Scottish dietetic eating disorders clinical forum
• Hazel Cain, advanced clinical nurse specialist, CAMHS North of Scotland (NoS)
• Fiona Calder, head of programme for CAMHS NES, and consultant clinical psychologist NHS GGC
• Anne Joice, NES head of programme for the psychological interventions team adult mental health (PITAMH)
• Rachael Smith, consultant clinical psychologist, professional lead CAMHS, NHS Grampian, chair of CAMHS ED group and chair of child heads of psychology (CHOPS)
• Lesley Pillans, associate specialist psychiatrist, Eden unit NHS Grampian, clinical lead NoS EDMCN and clinical lead for EEATS
• Sam Aitcheson, consultant clinical psychologist NHS Grampian, chair of the 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
• Alex Jones, national lead, BEAT
• Sharvari Patil, coproduction officer, Beat
• Abigail Clifford, representative of the lived experience panel
• Louise Robertson, representative of the lived experience panel
• Scottish Government officials

​​​​​​​Apologies

• Julie Hogg-Weld, SupportED operations director
• Ruairidh Mckay, consultant psychiatrist, regional eating disorder unit (REDU) NHS Lothian, co-chair of the adult IPU network
• Diane Kane, senior occupational therapist NHS Lanarkshire, chair of the OT ED network
• Stephen Anderson, consultant psychiatrist, Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC)
• Carol Morgan, Dudhope CAMHS inpatient unit carer’s support worker

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

The chair welcomed attendees and noted apologies. To improve accessibility, members were asked to avoid using acronyms and specialist terminology without explanation to ensure inclusivity across all attendees.

Action: members to explore ways to improve meeting participation and inclusion.

Actions from previous meeting:

• members were asked to identify colleagues willing to champion Beat’s beyond the symptoms training on eating disorder symptoms for non-specialist healthcare staff
• the chair facilitated a meeting on 31 July 2025 with training providers across Scotland to explore the coordination of training offers. Key learning was that planning is limited by financial year funding, but discussion was beneficial. Minutes of this meeting were circulated with the agenda

Scottish Government update

SG Policy updated that the eating disorders content pages were updated on NHS inform earlier this year and they have funded NHS 24 colleagues to produce six or seven videos covering lived experience, clinicians, parents/carers. Four videos have been filmed and are undergoing the editing and sign-off processes. These will be available on NHS inform soon, with full versions on YouTube.

Action: officials to share NHS inform videos once complete.

A further request for an additional page of content on eating disorders in the perinatal period has been submitted to NHS 24 and we are in the process of drafting an additional request for a digital page for the specification and a content page on body image which will house the silver cloud body image modules.

We are also in the early stages of developing a self-help guide on NHS inform for binge eating and this will go through various iterative processes to ensure it meets need, including utilising valuable feedback from the lived experience panel (LEP) we fund via Beat.

Currently considering options for the future of the network which is planned to be active until May 2026 (aligned with parliamentary cycle). Options for continuation will be presented to the Minister in coming weeks.

Lived experience panel feedback

Representatives from the LEP provided feedback from their recent meeting with NHS 24, which focused on improving the accessibility of the newly developed self-help resource (the minutes of this meeting had been circulated in advance). They suggested the introduction of a drop-down navigation function with guiding questions, such as “what information are you looking for?”, to support quicker and easier access. It was also proposed that the resource should contain distinct sections for individuals seeking support for themselves and for carers or families supporting others. The panel emphasised the value of providing downloadable leaflets and infographics to enhance privacy, assist those with concentration difficulties, and support users who may have limited time. They further highlighted the importance of using non-patronising, non-clinical language that is relevant to all age groups, alongside the inclusion of culturally relevant content, for example advice on managing eating during religious festivals.

The panel also recommended the inclusion of videos featuring people with lived experience navigating the self-help resource, to support users who may be unsure where to begin. They proposed the development of “stigma and myth buster” content to address misconceptions and self-stigma, as well as the provision of advocacy tools offering practical advice on engaging with professionals, suggested questions to ask, and clear information on user rights. In addition, they highlighted the importance of clear signposting to external sources of support, including Beat, SupportED, Young Minds and relevant local services. Finally, they emphasised the need to normalise help-seeking to reduce feelings of shame associated with accessing support.

Small group discussions

Participants were divided into two breakout groups to discuss existing examples of effective self-help tools in relation to binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN), and to identify gaps.

Existing resources and gaps

Members identified a wide range of useful resources, including Beat’s website, CARED Scotland, YouTube videos for parents, and the padlet resource hub for children’s services in north Scotland, though some families find the volume of information overwhelming. Parents and carers are regularly signposted to new Maudsley carers workshops, which have been positively received, alongside bodywhys podcasts. Other resources noted included Beat’s POD e-learning platform, the SPOT training platform for schools, Maudsley carers Kent, and our time, a charity in England supporting open family conversations. The centre for clinical interventions (CCI) website from western Australia was also highlighted as a valuable cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)-based programme linking eating disorders with related issues such as self-esteem and anxiety, while further tools of note included Kelty’s meal support videos, the peace pathway for those with neurodiversity (expanding beyond anorexia to other eating disorders and Type 1 diabetes), and British Dietetic Association materials such as food and mood. 

Despite the breadth of provision, several gaps were identified. Families can struggle with navigation, and most resources remain youth and early-intervention focused, leaving adults and those with long-term lived experience underrepresented. The importance of safe online spaces for peer connection was stressed, as existing unregulated forums carry risks and moderated spaces may not meet all needs. Equitable advocacy provision was also highlighted as essential, alongside dedicated carers support workers within every eating disorder team to ensure consistent signposting. Participants emphasised the value of developing nutrition-focused resources to complement the current psychological emphasis.

Digital tools were discussed, with recovery record recognised as effective and evidence-based, but limited by cost and lack of youth-friendly design. A free, secure alternative was considered necessary. Beat reported that work is also underway to adapt carer support programmes into e-learning modules, with plans to consider including binge eating disorder content in future.

Action: Beat to inform the SG policy team and the Network on progress regarding the adaptation of carer support programmes into e-learning modules, including any plans to incorporate binge eating disorder content.

NHS education for Scotland (NES) outlined ongoing workforce training in specialist CBT and guided self-help, and there was interest in developing a Scottish equivalent of NHS England resources, incorporating local expertise.

NHS inform will support this work on the self help guide by introducing a real-time data platform to monitor usage, completion rates, and searches, alongside user feedback mechanisms. Hosted content is reviewed regularly for accuracy, and updated moodjuice self-help guides and wider mental health resources will be linked.

The group agreed that centralising resources in an accessible location would support clinicians, carers, and families, and stressed the importance of combining psychological, practical, nutritional, and peer-support elements. Content should be inclusive, accessible, and relevant across different ages and experiences. Plans were made to circulate identified resources and gaps and to continue discussion in future meetings.

Action: Cathy Richards and Chloe Duffus to work with NHS 24 colleagues on progressing the self-help information for binge eating on NHS inform and ensure feedback is reflected.

Audit tool self-assessment

Health boards were asked to complete a self-assessment form rating their delivery and implementation of the national specification for the care and treatment of eating disorders. The review of responses highlighted encouraging progress and examples of innovation across a number of boards, alongside areas requiring further clarification and follow-up. Members and the chair expressed their appreciation for the considerable workload involved in completing these returns.

The analysis of the returns confirmed several recurring themes. Firstly, there remains significant variation in service provision across Scotland, with health boards under considerable pressure due to demand on clinical services. At the same time, the specification has clearly provided direction, helping boards to focus on service development and innovation, and there is a strong appetite for cross-board learning. Training needs were regularly identified, particularly regarding the assessment and management of physical health risk within eating disorder services. Another common theme was the importance of involving people with lived and living experience in service design and delivery. While boards were keen to embed this meaningfully, many reported being unsure how to begin without the risk of being tokenistic.

Concerns were also raised about consistency in data collection and use at a national level, and about how smaller boards, particularly in rural and remote areas, can be supported to apply detailed specifications in a meaningful way.

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) pathways were also highlighted as a particular priority, requiring multi-agency working to meet the needs of individuals effectively. It was agreed to form a small working group involving early adopter boards and lived experience representatives to share learning and develop guidance.

Action: Fiona Duffy to coordinate ARFID working group.

Small group discussions

The group discussed priorities for the next two network meetings in December 2025 and March 2026. Members reflected on how best to use these opportunities to support health boards and strengthen collective work, drawing on themes raised in the audit tool feedback.

Lived and living experience involvement was identified as a key gap, with boards seeking guidance on how to embed this meaningfully and avoid it feeling tokenistic. The network was seen as having a role in collating and signposting existing resources and supporting consistency across services.

Training remains a major priority. The north of Scotland will share mapping work at the December meeting, and the Turas eating disorders site is being developed as the main hub for training and resources. GP training videos on recognising and communicating physical risk are in progress, with input from the lived experience panel, and will be hosted on Turas once completed.

The network was reaffirmed as a forum for sharing learning, collating guidance, and supporting boards with practical implementation of the specification.

Managing clinical risk when there is very limited access to psychiatry

Advice was sought about how to manage physical health assessment and risk management in specialist eating disorder teams where there was limited access to psychiatric expertise. Ongoing discussions are taking place to identify practical approaches, including prioritisation of roles for remaining psychiatrists, strengthening multidisciplinary teams, and exploring cross-age-range working. Recruitment, retention, realistic job planning, and high-quality training were highlighted as key factors. A draft paper summarising themes and proposals will be circulated for consultation in the coming weeks.

Action: Katherine Morton to progress the work on managing physical health assessment and risk management in specialist eating disorder teams with limited psychiatric access.

NHS education Scotland update

NES provided an update on the development of the eating disorders content on Turas site. The platform will act as a multi-agency resource, structured by age, context, and practice type, and will link to guidance, training and evidence-based resources. Accessibility and intellectual property requirements are being built in, and content will be user-friendly, following the dementia site model. Members emphasised the importance of clear navigation and consistent language across resources.

Action: NES team to update on their progress towards updating the Turas eating disorder training information at next network meeting.

Training for general practitioners

Work is also progressing on GP training videos addressing recognition and communication of physical risk. Input from the lived experience panel will shape the content to ensure realistic and sensitive guidance. These will be hosted on Turas once complete. Members noted wider concerns about access to GP appointments, which may affect implementation of training and patient pathways.

Action: Katherine Morton to discuss with the LEP during their meeting on 29 September and then to progress this work

Action: officials to share the GP training video once complete

AOB and dates for future meetings

The chair closed the meeting by encouraging members to continue sharing suggestions for future agendas and to support stronger engagement in advance of meetings. The next meeting will take place on 11 December.

Overall and continued actions

• officials to continue sending information in advance of Network meetings for preparation
• everyone to use accessible language and remain open to feedback