Hansard

In the five years of this session of Parliament, Dennis Robertson has brought the issue of eating disorders to the chamber on numerous occasions, through debates and questions. I am sure that, should he be re-elected, that will continue. From dealing with the effect on females of mannequins and size 10 models with the “body beautiful”, to the rising problem of eating disorders in young men and boys, we can be proud of continually raising awareness of these conditions, thanks in no small measure to Dennis Robertson’s persistent efforts.

As an international awareness event that stretches across the globe, eating disorders week has become a fixture in many countries’ calendars. The pivotal point of the week is that it helps to bring people together: those affected as individuals, in the medical profession or as carers—as we all know, many carers are family members.

I note that, on Friday, there will be a day-long conference here in Edinburgh organised by the Scottish eating disorder interest group and hosted by Dennis Robertson. Such organisations do so much to raise awareness of eating disorders. It is not only conferences that help, though. There are many fun events, such as live bands, pub nights, cake bakings and so on, all to raise money for various eating disorders charities.

In previous debates, I have referred to the number of celebrities and those in public life who have come forward to talk of their condition. Although I do not watch “Emmerdale”, I read about the show’s actress Gemma Oaten, who has spoken movingly about her own battle with anorexia. She said that she was doing that ahead of eating disorders awareness week not only to highlight the bullying that she had endured but to demonstrate that eating disorders can affect people from all backgrounds and walks of life.

Gemma Oaten also referred to anorexia as a recognised mental health condition. We cannot reiterate that enough. Sadly, a stigma remains not only in relation to mental health issues but in relation to eating disorders as mental health conditions. That stigma is largely brought about through misunderstanding and ignorance, and there remains a significant number of people who believe that conditions such as anorexia and bulimia are largely about individuals with faddy eating habits. That is clearly not the case, and those who suffer from those disorders should be referred promptly for the psychological support and psychiatric help that they and their families need.

An issue that requires closer scrutiny is the recognition of eating disorders outwith teenagers and young adults. It is telling that Beat, which is the UK’s leading eating disorders charity, has chosen as its theme this year eating disorders in the workplace. That will concentrate on the impact that those disorders can have in the workplace and highlight what individuals, colleagues and employers can do to support someone’s recovery at work.

The motion mentions

“the Scottish Government’s additional mental health spending”.

I recognise that there has been significant investment, which will cover the next four years. Additionally, in January this year, the Prime Minister pledged

“a revolution in mental health treatment”,

with a commitment from 2018 that all teenagers who suffer with eating disorders will be seen within a month of being referred, or within a week for urgent cases. Additional resources and funding will also be made available. The motion rightly refers to the Scottish Government’s commitment to seek improvements in the treatment of people who live with eating disorders, but I hope that the minister and members will also appreciate the similar commitment that the UK Government has given, because there has to be greater co-operation north and south of the border to tackle a condition that for too long has not been taken seriously enough by society and its elected representatives.

If I got right what Dennis Robertson said, he hinted at the need for a managed clinical network across Scotland to deal with the various issues that are associated with eating disorders. I would be very supportive of such a scheme, which would help to ensure equity in accessing treatment for those affected and their families.

Finally, as this will undoubtedly be my last speech in the chamber about eating disorders, I thank all members who have worked together over the years to improve the lives of the individuals involved with what can often be tragic circumstances. I wish them well and look forward to hearing about the progress that they make in continuing to raise awareness of those conditions in the next session.