The patients with treatable eating disorders who are dying before the NHS can help them

The Independent reports that it has seen leaked data that shows a record number of eating disorder patients are not getting the life-saving treatment they need due to lengthy waits,.

More than 8,000 adults are waiting to be seen for therapy, according to internal figures from NHS England – the highest figure recorded since data collection began in 2019. In March 2021, there were around 6,000 adults waiting, while it was less than 2,000 in March 2019.

One leading doctor warned that delays were leading to avoidable deaths, while multiple coroners investigating the deaths of nine patients since 2021 have repeatedly called on the NHS and ministers to improve services to prevent more.

Full story in The Independent, 6 February 2023