Norfolk Community Eating Disorder Service

Therapy

We provide a range of evidence-based therapies for the treatment of eating disorders. The approach to your treatment is selected to best suit your clinical needs, personal circumstances, and preferences.

We offer psychological therapy on an individual basis, as well as family therapies. Some therapies are direct and focused, and others are in-direct and creative; however, all are designed to assist you in your recovery. Psychological therapy may include:

• CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy adapted for eating disorders)
• SSCM (Specialist Supportive Clinical Management)
• MANTRA (Maudsley Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults)
• MBT (Mentalisation Based Treatment)
• Group interventions

We have dieticians that work alongside the therapist to provide support and understanding of food and nutrition; helping you to develop a better relationship with food, while working collaboratively with you to establish healthy eating patterns and habits.

You may also be offered Occupational Therapy (OT). Occupational therapists work with you in a holistic way, considering your values, environment, and daily occupations to consider your overall quality of life and level of functioning. The emphasis of occupational therapy is about working on your goals and what matters to you.

We also have support workers, who may be involved in your care for short periods of time. We also provide support for carers and family therapy to provide the best opportunity for recovery.

We work with people for an agreed number of sessions on specific and collaborative goals. We will support you to develop new skills and ways of thinking which will empower you to take on your own recovery and prepare you for discharge from the service.

FREED Pathway

FREED is First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders. We provide this service for 18 to 25-year-olds who have had an eating disorder for three years or less.

Young people getting help for their eating disorder through FREED are given rapid access to specialised treatment which gives special attention to challenges we know young people face during these years of their life, and in the early stages of an eating disorder.

Referrals are made by your GP or our partner agencies. We do not accept self-referrals.

We accept people:

• Aged 18 or over
• With a suspected diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder) or other specified feeding and eating disorder (OSFED)
• Who live in Norfolk and Waveney

The initial appointment is an opportunity for you to tell us what has led you to seek support for your eating difficulties and some background information about yourself. It usually lasts 90 minutes.

In this meeting, we will discuss your expectations, hopes, goals, and any worries you might have. It is an opportunity for you to meet the service and for us to determine together whether another service may be better suited to meet your needs.

Following your assessment, we discuss it within our multidisciplinary team to help us decide together on the best option for your care. If we decide our service is suitable, we will then discuss your treatment plan with you, and you will have the opportunity to ask any questions about your treatment.

Our service is made up of:

• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Support Workers
• Occupational Therapy
• Dietetics
• Clinical Nurse Specialists
• Administrators
• Family Therapy
• Doctors

This type of team involving people from different professional backgrounds is often referred to as a multi-disciplinary team or MDT. Each one has specialist training in eating disorders and a wide range of mental health experience.

Anyone who is referred to our service may be seen by any member/s of staff in the first instance at assessment, and they may see a combination of team members for different aspects of their treatment depending on their individual needs. We also work closely with GP’s who hold responsibility for physical health monitoring.

 

We welcome feedback throughout your journey at NCEDS to have your voice heard and to help us learn. Below are some testimonials from people who have used our service:

“The care and compassion shown was great and following through on things they said would be done. Also, the attention to detail in the letter, making sure that the communication was accurate and reflected the assessment properly.”

“I have found that the service I have received has been really helpful. The way the staff listened and really took into consideration how I feel and what I need helps with. Finally gave me a voice and felt listened to”.

“From the point of referral, I was seen quickly. The assessment was thorough and handled difficult topics in a sensitive way. The clinician I saw was lovely. She did everything she said she would and kept me informed of what she had done. The letter sent afterwards was accurate and gave a full picture of what we had discussed - they are fantastic.”

“I have been seen by various specialists, and if I wanted to see them more often, I’m sure they would let me. I requested a family therapy appointment to include my partner, and they were happy to organise it which I really appreciate. My main therapist has been life changing. I liked how she described what type of treatment she was going to try, and what I would be expecting, which was scary, and she acknowledged that but now I am flying through it. She is super innovative and has increased my confidence tenfold. Also, I have been chosen to participate in group activity session, I am so glad to be chosen and to meet new people and find joy in activities I have neglected. So that is exciting!”

BEAT: The UK's Eating Disorder Charity

UK’s leading charity supporting those affected by eating disorders and campaigning on their behalf - adults, students and under 18s. Information, helplines and details of local support groups.

• Adult Helpline telephone: 0808 801 0677
• E-mail: help@beateatingdisorders.org.uk
• Website: beateatingdisorders.org.uk

 

Eating Matters: Offers one-to-one counselling for people age 11+ with mild to moderate anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder and OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder).

• Telephone: 01603 767062
• Website: https://eatingmatters.org.uk/

 

FREED: FREED provides resources and help for 16–25-year-olds

• Website: https://freedfromed.co.uk/freed-for-all

 

Support around general mental health

Wellbeing service: Wellbeing Norfolk & Waveney provide a range of support for people with common mental health and emotional issues, such as low mood, depression or stress.

If you are aged 16 and over you can access support through your GP or any other health or social care professional, or you can self-refer using the form on the website.

• Telephone: 0300 123 1503
• Website: https://www.wellbeingnands.co.uk/norfolk/

 

MAP: MAP provides information, advice, advocacy, support for young people aged 11-25 across Norfolk. They are an independent, rights based and young person-centred service.

• Telephone: 0800 0744454
• Email: advice@map.uk.net
• Website: https://www.map.uk.net/here-you

 

Samaritans: A confidential listening service for people who are suicidal or in despair. Sometimes what you’d really like is someone just to listen without judging you. Maybe then you’d figure out the answer yourself, or at least have got a load off your mind. That’s what the Samaritans are here for. 

• Telephone: 116 123 (open 24 hours a day, seven days a week)
• Email: jo@samaritans.org
• Website: https://www.samaritans.org/

 

Shout: Shout is the UK's first and only free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. Get help - free, 24/7, confidential mental health text support service | Shout 85258 (giveusashout.org)

 

Mind: Mind provides somewhere to turn to for advice and support for anyone with a mental health problem. Mind has a collection of information booklets that covers over 60 topics. When you are living with a mental health problem, or supporting someone who is, having access to the right information about a condition, treatment options, or practical issues is vital.

• Telephone: 0300 123 3393 or text 86463 (Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm)
• Email: info@mind.org.uk 
• Website: https://www.mind.org.uk/