Beat welcomes the Ten Minute Rule Bill brought forward by Richard Quigley MP, in partnership with Dump the Scales, to seek to introduce new legislation requiring mandatory training on eating disorders and disordered eating for frontline workers.
Following the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eating Disorders call for mandatory training in its latest report, the Bill would require frontline workers, such as school professionals and NHS staff, to undertake training so they can recognise eating disorder symptoms early and direct those affected to specialist sources of help.
Vanessa Longley, Beat’s Chief Executive, said:
“We are very pleased that Richard Quigley MP has proposed a Private Members’ Bill calling for mandatory training on eating disorders for frontline workers, such as teachers and NHS workers. This is one of the priorities identified by the APPG on Eating Disorders, and is a timely and important step towards eating disorder support being recognised as an integral part of safeguarding training across the board. Every professional that could come into contact with someone with an eating disorder should be trained to feel confident spotting the first signs of an eating disorder and signposting to the right support without delay.
“We know that frontline workers can play a vital role in recognising eating disorders, sometimes even before that person realises they’re unwell. Recovery is always possible, but receiving treatment at the very earliest opportunity gives anyone affected the best chance of this. We strongly encourage schools and colleges to undertake our free SPOT training and urge medical schools to ensure that they are giving their students sufficient training on eating disorders, including through Beat’s specialist training developed in conjunction with the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
'At the same time, we must recognise the pressure that professionals are under and that a successful training scheme will need increased investment in the workforce, so we urge the Government and NHS decision makers to address this without delay. We're extremely proud to support Richard with this Bill, and as part of the National Eating Disorders Taskforce, will not stop calling for change until everyone in our community can access the high-quality care they deserve.”
A Private Member’s Bill is a public bill introduced by a backbench MP or a member of the House of Lords, rather than by the Government. It enables non-ministers to propose changes to the law, and whilst they can be invaluable in bringing important issues to light, it’s important to note that most do not pass without Government support.
This Bill was introduced under the Ten Minute Rule procedure, which allows an MP to make a speech of up to ten minutes setting out the case for their proposed legislation before the House decides whether it should be introduced.
All Ten Minute Rule Bills are a type of Private Member’s Bill, but not all Private Members’ Bills are introduced through the Ten Minute Rule.
You can read more about Private Members’ Bills here.
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