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Community Eating Disorder Service

Community Eating Disorder Service (Bedfordshire and Luton)

The aim of the Community Eating Disorders Service (CEDS) is to work with service users whose problems are at the most serious or severe range of presenting concerns. In this sense we are a specialist service. We aim to provide assessment, support and therapy to service users and to their families and carers following NICE guidelines. Our service users will meet the criteria for an eating disorder as defined by both ICD10 and DSM V.

Our vision is to support people to a life worth living and improved health for people in our population, via reduced eating disorder symptoms and distress, and improved functioning and safety. 

How to refer 

If you struggle with food and eating, first approach your GP who can make a referral to our service.

We take referrals from GPs, CMHTs, IAPT services and from other statutory and non-statutory services.

How do i make an appointment 

Once we have received your referral in to our service, we will write to you asking you to call and ‘opt in’ to our service. Once you call, we will offer you an initial appointment in our Tuesday morning clinic. We try to see people within 11 weeks of their referral. After we have spoken to you we will write to you with a summary and our recommendations, and you will be added on the treatment waiting list until a clinician becomes available.

 

Conditions treated

We can help people with symptoms of:

  •  Anorexia Nervosa (AN)
  •  Bulimia Nervosa (BN)
  •  Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and 
  •  Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS)
  • What this service does 

We work with adults aged between 18-65 who have a registered Luton or Bedfordshire GP, and meet the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder.

Medical Monitoring

Eating disorders can lead to a number of physical health issues.  You may need physical monitoring from your GP as an essential part of your care alongside therapy from our psychology led team. This will be needed when you are referred to our service, and after that as frequently as your GP advises.  What is needed depends on your situation but some examples might be blood tests, pulse/blood pressure etc. We are a psychological therapy led service, therefore GPs will remain medically responsible for clients open to us and provide regular monitoring of their physical health throughout the course of their treatment with us.

Inpatient Admissions

Specialist eating disorder inpatient admissions are usually considered when a person reaches a high level of physical risk that cannot be treated safely by outpatient services and sometimes when the issues are so severe they cannot be addressed without more intensive support. These are considered on an individual basis according to your circumstances and are fully discussed with you by your therapist if the need arises. They are not very common; most people we see have outpatient treatment. In the event of an eating disorder unit becoming necessary we make the referrals, keep in touch during admission and will offer support after discharge. The service fulfils a gate keeping role, referring service users for inpatient admissions to Specialist Eating Disorder Units which are commissioned by the East of England Specialised Commissioning Group (SCG).  Whilst a service user is an inpatient in a specialist EDU, the staff team will aim to attend an early CPA and one CPA meeting near discharge, in order to participate in care planning to facilitate transition between inpatient and outpatient care.

Who to contact

Telephone
E-mail
tr.eatingdisorder.service@nhs.net

Where to go

Name
Disablilty Resource Centre,
Address
Poynters House, Poynters Road,
Woodside Estate
Dunstable
Postcode
LU5 4TP
Get directions

Other Details

Age Bands
18-25 years old