Eating disorders services in London

NHS eating disorder services in London are accessed via GP referral to specialist community eating disorder teams. Trusts providing eating disorder services include South London and Maudsley (which hosts the Maudsley Centre for Adult Eating Disorders, a nationally recognised specialist service), Central and North West London, and other London trusts. For children and young people, dedicated CAMHS eating disorder services operate across London. Private eating disorder services in London include specialist outpatient clinics, day programmes, and residential treatment.

Eating disorders require specialist treatment and are not typically managed through NHS Talking Therapies. On the NHS, your GP refers you to a specialist eating disorder service. For adults, community eating disorder teams provide outpatient assessment and treatment. For children and young people, dedicated CAMHS eating disorder services exist with specific waiting time standards. In some cases, inpatient treatment may be needed.

The type of treatment depends on the eating disorder. NICE recommends guided self-help and CBT for binge eating disorder, CBT for bulimia (CBT-BN), and for anorexia a choice of specialist treatments including the Maudsley Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults (MANTRA), specialist supportive clinical management (SSCM), CBT for eating disorders (CBT-ED), or focal psychodynamic therapy. ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder) is increasingly recognised and treated by specialist services.

Private eating disorder services offer faster access to specialist clinicians, and may offer specific treatment modalities or levels of intensity that are not available locally on the NHS. Some private services offer day programmes or residential treatment for more complex cases. Dietitian support alongside psychological treatment is an important part of recovery for most eating disorders.