Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs), including Kent Surrey Sussex AHSN, are supporting mental health teams across England to speed up diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders in young people aged 16 to 25 through FREED.

What is FREED?
FREED (First episode Rapid Early intervention for Eating Disorders), a model developed by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London. This is an evidence-based, specialist care package for 16 to 25-year-olds with a first episode eating disorder of less than three years’ duration. Broadly based on the early intervention model for psychosis, it overcomes barriers to early treatment and recovery and provides highly coordinated early care, with a central focus on reducing the duration of an untreated eating disorder.

What are the outcomes we trying to achieve?
* Earlier intervention and treatment of eating disorders in young people
* Reduction in the length of time young people have untreated eating disorders
* Reduction in waiting times, day/in-patient admissions and bed days
* Cost savings through reduced use of healthcare services, in particular reduced need for day/in-patient admissions.

To find out more, please contact Becca Randell, Implementation Lead or Ben Augustine, Project Co-ordinator