WA's first specialist State-wide eating disorders service
Mental Health Minister Andrea Mitchell today officially launched the WA Eating Disorders Outreach and Consultation Service (WAEDOCS).
The service provides State-wide consultation and education services to clinicians caring for adults and youths aged over 16 with eating disorders.
Ms Mitchell said the launch marked early delivery of an enhanced State-wide eating disorder service in line with the Western Australian Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drug Services Plan 2015-2025, which recommended such a service be established by the end of 2017.
"Eating disorders have the highest mortality of any psychiatric disorder, so the importance of this service cannot be underestimated," she said.
"The window of opportunity for successful treatment outcomes for individuals with eating disorders begins to decline after three years, so it is important to invest in effective services for the years following the onset of the disorder.
"WAEDOCS will enhance the knowledge and skills of current community and hospital health professionals to deliver best-practice treatment and support through consulting, mentoring, training and education."
The focus of the service will be capacity building within local health and mental health care services and guiding services to develop evidence-based patient-centered care pathways within and between treatment settings. This will support sustained recovery and minimise relapse and hospitalisation.
WAEDOCS has already developed a guideline for the admission and inpatient treatment of people with eating disorders in WA.
The service is available to clinicians throughout WA across all settings, including emergency departments, medical wards, mental health units, Hospital in the Home teams and clinical community services. It is also available to general practitioners and community health and mental health care services across public, private and community-managed organisations.
Fact File
Eating disorders fall within the top 10 contributors of disease in Australia between the ages of 16 to 24 years and have a mortality rate of up to 20%
Those suffering anorexia nervosa have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric condition
Minister's office - 6552 5400
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