This petition was submitted during the 2017–2019 Conservative government
Rejected petition Take action to diagnose people with eating disorders faster
Research shows that, on average, three-and-a half years pass between the symptoms of an eating disorder emerging and treatment starting. It takes more than 18 months on average for sufferers to realise they might have an eating disorder, and more than a year after this before people seek help.
More details
Eating disorders are not understood by most of the population and consequentially, the signs of eating disorders are not spotted early enough. It is necessary for the government to take action to fix this by encouraging schools to cover it in the curriculum and increasing public awareness. This is a long term saving as faster diagnosis will lead to faster and more effective treatment. Currently eating disorders cost the NHS £4.6 billion a year and this could be massively reduced if the public were aware of the symptoms of eating disorders.
This petition was rejected
Why was this petition rejected?
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https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/210522
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