In response to the NSW Service Plan for People with Eating Disorders (2013-2018) and (2021-2025), eating disorder treatment has been established as core business across the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD).

This means that if you have an eating disorder, you can access inpatient and community based treatment with a multi-disciplinary treating team, closer to home.

Mental Health Clinicians, Dietitians, Nursing Staff, Doctors and Psychiatrists may form part of your treating team when you access care.

In November 2021, the Ministry of Health provided funding for a clinical eating disorder position in every local health district.

MLHD used the funding to establish the Eating Disorder Service and in July 2022, recruited a mental health clinician 4 days per week and a dietitian 3 days per week. The service supports clinicians delivering eating disorder care across the district.

In 2023, we will begin running virtual education and support groups for people experiencing an eating disorder, and carers, across the Murrumbidgee region.

Hearing the views and ideas of consumers, families and carers who have a lived experience, is an important part of ensuring that eating disorder services across MLHD, meet the needs of the community.

All opportunities for consultation and involvement in the development of guidelines, models of care and clinical services in the eating disorder space will be posted here. We welcome and look forward to your involvement and feedback.

We are currently seeking a family/carer representative to join our Eating Disorders Steering Committee.

The Eating Disorders Steering Committee is responsible for providing strategic direction, leadership and governance on the local implementation of the NSW Service Plan for Eating Disorders (2021-2025). This will include driving the organisational change required within the District to better meet the physical and mental health needs of people with Eating Disorders

The committee values the contributions of those with a lived experience and is looking to add to those perspectives with the inclusion of a carer representative on the committee.

Other members of the committee include representatives from Murrumbidgee Local Health District, local headspace services, the Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network and consumer and carer representatives.

The carer representative joining the committee should:

• be somebody who either currently, or in the past, has supported a family member or loved one with an eating disorder
• be familiar with local (Murrumbidgee region) inpatient and/or outpatient services for people with eating disorders
• able to attend meetings of the committee four times per year
• be willing to contribute carer insights, experiences and perspectives that will assist with improving local pathways, access to treatment and models of care, for people with eating disorders

Meetings of the committee are:

• Held four times per year
• Run for 1.5 hours
• Take place during usual business hours - we will work with you to meet your availability as far as possible
• Attended virtually, or in person arrangements can be made if needed

The representative will be paid for their time attending meetings, in line with the MLHD Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Consumer and Carer Participation Remuneration Guidelines.

Support will be provided by Angela Farrell, MLHD Eating Disorder Coordinator/Clinical Leader for Eating Disorders.

If you are interested in being part of this committee, please tell us a bit about yourself in the registration form below.

If you have any questions, would like to see a copy of the Terms of Reference for the committee or would like to express your interest in a different way, please contact Tiffany on mlhd-mhda-experiences@health.nsw.gov.au