If you’re a GP or healthcare professional wanting to refer someone to the service, you may have some questions about the service or how to refer someone. If you have any questions about the service or are unsure whether a referral is suitable, please contact the team on 0151 471 7751.
We work with a range of presentations within the service. Below is not an exhaustive list but provides some examples of eating disorder behaviours and thoughts to look out for when you meet with a client. Some examples include:
Anorexia – A low BMI (<18.5) due to restriction of food intake and have a fear of fatness or weight gain, with significant body image disturbance.
Bulimia – Regular binge eating (>3 months duration) with compensatory behaviours, (vomiting, laxatives, excessive exercise), with body image disturbance or weight concerns.
Binge eating – Often overweight or obese, regular binge eating (>3 months duration) with associated distress and no regular compensatory behaviours.
ARFID – Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. Presents with substantial weight loss and nutritional deficiency, where weight loss not due to shape or weight concerns, or due to unavailability of food. This presents a significant physical health impact risk.
OSFED – Other specified feeding or eating disorder. Replaces the previously used term of ED not otherwise specified (EDNOS) and other presentations such as atypical anorexia, low frequency purging, or night eating syndrome.
All referrals to the service must involve the client’s GP. As part of the referral process, you must evidence recent physical health review including client’s weight and height as a minimum, and give information regarding the eating behaviours, and the thoughts and feelings the client has around eating and body image. Please also provide information about any physical or mental health risks identified as this can support triage and prioritisation. These may include blood abnormalities, rapid recent weight loss. As a service, we don’t accept self-reported height and weight. If this information is not provided, this may delay access to the service.
As the client’s GP, you will remain responsible for the physical health and medical monitoring whilst the client accesses our service. This may include regular blood tests and blood pressure checks.
To refer a client to our service, the GP surgery must be located in the Liverpool or Sefton area.
If you’re referring someone to our service, they must give consent to be referred.
If you’re unsure whether to make a referral or if you’re unsure if the client would be appropriate, please call the service for advice on 0151 471 7751. We also offer consultation and advice around disordered eating where referral for assessment and individual therapy might not be appropriate.
All referrals to the service must involve the client’s GP. As part of the referral process, you must document the client’s weight and height, and give information regarding the eating behaviours, and the thoughts and feelings the client has around eating and body image. If this information is not provided, this may delay access to the service. As a service, we don’t accept self-reported height and weight. If you are able to record the person’s height and weight yourself as part of the referral process, please ensure that the person’s GP is aware you have made a referral to us. If you are not able to review the physical health impact of disordered eating yourself, we would recommend referring in collaboration with the person’s GP following physical health review.
The client’s GP must be involved, as they remain responsible for the physical health and medical monitoring whilst the client accesses our service. This may include regular blood tests and blood pressure checks.
To refer a client to our service, the client’s GP surgery must be located in the Liverpool or Sefton area, rather than the client’s home address.
If you’re referring someone to our service, they must give consent to be referred.
If you’re unsure whether to make a referral or if you’re unsure if the client would be appropriate, please call the service for advice on 0151 471 7751. We also offer consultations.
There are a number of scenarios where the eating disorder service may not be the best option for the client. This can include but is not exclusive to:
- If the client has another mental health difficulty which is the primary presenting problem. If this difficulty provides alternative explanation for disordered eating behaviours and/or this difficulty would be a barrier to engaging with therapy for an eating disorder e.g. significant low mood.
- If the client is dependent on or regularly using alcohol or recreational drugs. We would recommend support from drug and alcohol services prior to referral, including a period of abstinence.
- If the client is wanting to lose weight but does not have any eating disorder behaviours or thoughts. As appropriate, please consider weight management services such as the Liverpool Obesity Support Service (LOSS).
- If the client is experiencing distress related to body image but is not engaging in any disordered eating behaviours, please consider referral to NHS Talking Therapies.
- If the client does not consent to the referral or clearly says they do not want therapy for their eating disorder presentation. In these instances, if you have any concerns about them not attending for assessment/therapy due to risk, please contact the service and ask to speak to a clinician about next steps.