35 people have presented at Sligo University Hospital for treatment of a severe Eating disorder over the past 5 years.
Patients at the hospital are assessed and treated by a multi-disciplinary team of medical and mental health professionals.
There were 15 admissions to Hospital last year from the Sligo/Leitrim area with 409 days used to help those presenting with the illness.
2020 saw 10 admissions, a figure significantly higher than 2019, when three patients sought treatment.
Close to 1000 bed days have been used in the treatment of the condition at Sligo Hospital since 2017.
Clinicians treating eating disorders at SUH are not specialised practitioners but do so in addition to their other full-time roles at the hospital
Staff treating the condition include psychologists, dieticians and medical doctors, with funding approved from the HSE for new recruitment in 2022
The new roles will include a Consultant Psychiatrist, Senior Dietician and Grade IV admin support to be based outside of the hospital in the community.
