Hansard

I thank the member for reinforcing that point.

Finding the right path to recovery starts with an informed and sensitive GP who recognises the real courage that it takes to present as a patient with an eating disorder. That cannot be emphasised enough: recovery starts when a person builds up the courage to speak out. The GP is the vital first step, and can direct the vulnerable person to the correct door.

In September 2015, the see me campaign funded seen but not heard, an advocacy eating disorder project, to produce a GP resource pack about eating disorders called “Living with an eating disorder—what you need to know”. The pack includes a poster for raising awareness in the surgery, a booklet to be available in the waiting room for people with eating disorders and the general public to take away, and an information leaflet for GPs and other members of the primary care team. The GP resource pack was developed by people who have a lived experience of eating disorders to provide crucial information that can help GPs gain a better understanding of how to offer effective and appropriate care and treatment.

In conclusion, this is the fourth—and final—time that I will speak here in support of Dennis Robertson. I do so in solidarity with all those people, young and old alike, who fight a daily battle with food and a daily battle with the unseen dark force that takes control, wears them down and sometimes does not let go.

We must let them know that the battle is not theirs to fight alone. We recognise them, this week and every week, and I thank Dennis Robertson again for ensuring that we never forget them.

I apologise to Dennis Robertson, the Presiding Officer and the minister, because, in two minutes’ time, I have to be at the Devolution (Further Powers) Committee to question David Mundell.