Development and evaluation of a Home Intervention Team for a CAMHS eating disorder service

The global pandemic brought about the need for eating disorder services to deal with the increase in referrals and higher levels of acuity of those patients. Home intervention has been muted as a much needed and under-utilised intervention for the treatment of eating disorders, providing a way to possibly prevent inpatient admission but also to compliment the use of already established treatments such as family-based therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy.

Through review of recommendations, current practice in other areas of the country and clinical knowledge a pilot for a Home Intervention Service was developed. Details of the implementation will be shared. Following 6 months of the team being established the impact of the intervention was evaluated. With admission rates, eating disorder symptomatology, caregiver burden and family, young people & staff experience reviewed.

Preliminary results show that families were appreciative of the intervention, really liked the less clinical feel of the treatment and felt it had made a difference. Weights showed either improvement or maintenance in the vast majority of cases.

Overall the Home Intervention Team was a valuable addition the CAMHS eating disorder service providing support to families, preventing admissions and helping young people, especially around meal times. The need for a variety of care pathways with in the was identified.

Cleo Jones-Penlington & Nicola Brewin

Nicki is currently operational team lead for the CAMHS Eating Disorder service. Previously she worked in the team as Service Evaluation & Research Associate.

Cleo is a nurse by background and is currently the operational lead for the CAMHS Home Intervention Team in Leicester.