Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Health Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve support and services for patients with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.
Answered by Dr Zubir Ahmed
NHS England continues to work with eating disorder services and local commissioners to improve access to assessment and treatment for people with a suspected eating disorder, including those presenting with avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Lessons from previous pilots commissioned to improve access to support and develop training on ARFID has contributed to this work.
Community children and young people’s eating disorder services across England provide assessment and treatment for eating disorders, including ARFID, and local areas are able to commission training and adapt care pathways to ensure services meet the needs of patients with this condition.
In January 2026, NHS England also updated guidance on children and young people's eating disorders, including ARFID, that seeks to strengthen early identification and intervention of eating disorders, whilst ensuring swift access to specialist community eating disorder services as soon as an eating disorder is suspected.
Whilst the guidance focuses on improving community pathways for children and young people, the national specialised adult service model continues to provide access to highly specialist inpatient treatment for adults with complex eating disorders, through the Specialised Adult Eating Disorder Units network. These units deliver multidisciplinary care that typically includes psychiatric assessment and treatment, psychological therapies, medical monitoring, dietetic support and structured rehabilitation, and can provide inpatient care for adults with severe and enduring eating disorders where required.
Integrated care boards are responsible for providing health and care services to meet the needs of their local populations.
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