Hutt DHB agrees 'in principle' to take over eating disorder care

Hutt Valley District Health Board has agreed "in principle" to take over from Wellington Eating Disorder Services Collective in providing support to eating disorder patients in the lower North Island.

The collective, one of only two publicly funded eating disorder services in New Zealand, notified the DHB on October 3 that it could not continue the service in 2007 because of financial pressures.

Auckland eating disorder specialist Carol Drew said last week a lack of funding meant specialist services for anorexia, bulimia and other disorders were suffering.

Ms Drew told National Radio there were at least 250 new eating disorder patients each year.

"Not all (patients) need to be hospitalised but certainly a lot of them do and then they need extensive day care programmes," Ms Drew said.

The DHB said on October 3 it would make alternative arrangements for the collective's 400 patients, mostly young women from the lower North Island who suffer from anorexia and bulimia.

Since then the DHB and collective had been working out how to make a smooth transition of eating disorder services, the two organisations said in a joint statement today.

Collective spokeswoman Sarndra Hamilton said any agreement with the DHB was based on the premise that the quality of service would be maintained.

"We have spent years building this service and it combines ... a seamless set of services that ranges from prevention and early intervention to treatment, both residential and out-patient; as well as support and information for families and friends. It is really important that the philosophy, staff and best practice approach of the service are maintained in any transfer process. "

DHB senior portfolio manager Marion Thomas said in the unlikely event that the two parties couldn't reach a final agreement, the DHB would still seek to retain the Collective's current staff as part of an alternative service from January 1 2007.

A further joint statement would be released once arrangements for transferring eating disorders services were finalised, the Collective and DHB said.

- NZPA