At the Flinders Medical Centre Mental Health Ward in South Australia there are currently only SIX beds dedicated to people with Eating Disorders- including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia and EDNOS to name a few. As an "In-Patient"; two beds are for people committing to the 'Two-week Programme' and the other four beds are for people committing to the 'Six-week bed Programme'. During this time one has access to the best care available in South Australia- nurses on 24 hour care monitor your daily intake of food/drink and are available to guide and encourage you through the beginnings of your recovery process. Doctors/Psychiatrists/Psychologists/Dieticians also provide support and several times a week there are supervised group communication sessions between the patients. A social worker can also be allocated to you when you become an "Out-Patient" and continue on the road to recovery. This Eating Disorder Programme at Flinders Medical Centre has helped many people of all ages and of both genders work through their everyday struggles with Eating Disorders. It is a form of salvation- not just for the sufferer but also for their family and friends who are not qualified to deal with the everyday trials and tribulations of an Eating Disorder sufferer. When there are no other options available there should always be a guaranteed team of professionals who are prepared for you to place your life in their hands. However; for many years, several mental health professionals have been fighting to keep those beds available to help those who are struggling with Eating Disorders. The Government have decided to relocate these beds to the Margaret Tobin Centre- a facility within close proximaty to the Flinders Hospital- and thereby resulting in the closure of Ward 4G. In the Margaret Tobin Centre there will be irregular access to other medical resources (such as pediatric orthopedic doctors etc.) and the facility will be completely enclosed leaving the patients in isolation! This is extremely detrimental as eating disorder patients who are on the road to recovery, need to start re-connecting with the environment around them and being in isolation will not help them in anyway! Lastly; patients under 18 years of age will be excluded from this new 'in-patient' treatment facility! As we all know eating disorders can begin at any age (but mostly starting in the tennage years) but NO ONE should be excluded from receiving the appropiate medical treatment for their illness. Moreover, there are two eating disorder beds in the Womens and Childrens hospital for under 18s. However, these shouldnt even count because this hospital has 'limited services' when it comes to treating eating disorder patients. The relocation of the eating disorder beds at Flinders leaves experts of eating disorders of the opinion that this 'new' type of facility is not what is required for assisting in the treatment of eating disorders patients. The simple fact is that the Government feels the need to cut costs and believes that funding for the Eating Disorder area of Mental Health is unnecessary and unimportant!!!!! With a 'mortality rate between 10%-20% with many dying from suicide', we just can NOT afford to let these beds go and thereby increase these terrifying statistics..... just because the treatment and support can't be found! Please 'like' and share this page with your fellow face-bookers! Let's see how much encouragement and support for this cause it will take before the Government realises what will tragically occur if there's no longer any support/ treatment for Eating Disorders. Eating disorders are just as important as any other psychiatric illness and should NOT be ignored! Everybody's recovery journey is different- there can be bumps in the road, roundabouts and detours- but recovery will go no where without complete support from the Government, medical professionals, mental health professionals, counsellors, friends and family. There should be much more treatment and help available for Eating Disorder sufferers all around the world!!......... but one step at a time! :) Thankyou so very much for taking the time to read this and for allowing me to shed some light on this serious issue. I hope you can support this cause, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks :)
For more information about Eating Disorders please feel free to explore the websites provided.
