The independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD and autism to government led by Professor Peter Fonagy was published earlier this month. 

The SWEDA team were heartened to see that the report acknowledged the growth of eating disorders and the high prevalence among autistic people and people with ADHD. This is what we've been witnessing on the frontline in our services for years now, as more and more people come to SWEDA for support.

However, we were disappointed that the news coverage focused on an 'overdiagnosis' of autism and ADHD rather than the report's carefully evidenced recommendations, which strongly support the work of SWEDA and other specialist charities delivering high quality preventative support to people with eating disorders.

The call to provide fast access to specialist support regardless of formal diagnosis, and to give seamless and holistic support in partnership with others, is already central to how we work at SWEDA. We would like to see it fully funded and available across the UK.

Together with our REDCAN colleagues from across the country we have written to the MPs in our region to ask them to call for the government's upcoming adult Mental Health Strategy to recognise and support the critical role specialist charities play in reducing the harm eating disorders can cause to individuals and their loved ones.

If SWEDA has made a difference to you or someone you care about please write to your MP and tell them about it, as it's your stories that really get to the core of why early intervention support matters. If you'd like more information about what we're asking our local MPs to do, please drop us a line at [email protected].

The independent review can be read here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-into-mental-health-conditions-adhd-and-autism-final-report