Outcomes

What do we mean by recovery?

At MCCAED, we take recovery from an eating disorder to mean all of the following: 

1. Being able to live a full and active life. 
2. Being in good physical and emotional health.
3. Eliminating abnormal eating behaviours and body image concerns that impair your well-being.

Some young people who are discharged from our service may still occasionally experience thoughts associated with eating disorders. These won’t be serious enough to hold you back, and will subside in time as you continue to live your life. 

Most of the physical and emotional complications caused by eating disorders are fully reversible if changes to eating habits are made early. 

Will I recover? How long will it take?

The great majority of children and adolescents we treat go on to make a full recovery. On average, treatment lasts about 11 months, over less than 30 appointments. Only about 1 in 10 patients need to be referred to the adult eating disorder service after their 18th birthday.

If any of our patients do need to be referred onwards, we work closely with our colleagues in the adult service to ensure a smooth and timely transition. 

Will I need treatment for my eating disorder as an adult?

7 in 10 of the young people treated in our service will not need any further therapy for eating disorders as adults.

Will I need to be referred to ITP and eating disorders units?

• Fewer than 1 in 10 of our young patients will need more intensive treatment through ITP (Intensive Treatment Programme). Of these, most will stay for about 38 therapeutic days spread over 14 weeks. 
• Fewer than 1 in 25 of our young patients will need to be admitted to the adolescent eating disorder or psychiatric unit.

How do we achieve the best outcomes?

Two of the most effective ways to ensure a smooth recovery are:

• Getting to our service early, and not allowing an eating disorder to go untreated for too long.
• Making meaningful changes early.

It’s important to remember that no matter how difficult living with an eating disorder can be, everyone can recover. And yes, that includes you. 

MCCAED has been cited as a national example of best practices by the UK government. For more details, see Access and Waiting Times Standard for Children and Young People with an Eating Disorder (2015) p64