Eating Disorders

Eating disorders have a devastating impact upon the health and wellbeing of dozens of women, and increasingly men. They represent the highest mortality risk of all mental health problems. Individuals suffering with anorexia or bulimia nervosa experience significantly compromised physical, psychological, emotional and psycho-social wellbeing.

Treatment is complex due to a range of factors that clients commonly present with including change-resistance, psychosocial impairment, co-morbid psychopathology, and physical risk factors such as starvation syndrome, suicide attempts and mortality. Individuals may elect for treatment aimed at full ‘Recovery’ (symptom abstention), ‘Harm Reduction’ (staying ill safely) or require ‘Intensive Care’ including possible tube-feeding.

Specialised Occupational Therapy provides an important contribution to the treatment of eating disordered individuals including psychosocial enablement and cognitive reconstructive interventions. Occupation-focused experiential, psycho-educative and creative activities are adapted to accommodate the clients’ presenting risk factors and readiness to change (Lock & Pepin, in press).

The College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section, Mental Health:
Special Interest Group for Eating Disorders. (COTSSMH-SIGED) formerly known as ‘National Occupational Therapist working in Eating Disorders (or NOTED) is a UK-based national group aiming to provide opportunities for:

A forum for Occupational Therapists to share their evidence-based clinical expertise in treating individuals with eating disorders, within specialist and non-specialist settings.

A forum for Occupational Therapists and support workers to liaise with others working or interested in the speciality.

A forum for Occupational Therapists to facilitate the promotion of their professional contribution within multi-disciplinary settings, by providing expert advice from experienced practitioners and developing the evidence base for Occupational Therapy interventions.

Study days

7th Annual Study Day
Friday, 14th November 2008
How Occupational Therapists apply the Recovery Model to clients experiencing Eating Disorders

Speakers:
Genevieve Smyth, College of Occupational Therapy Professional Affairs Officer for Mental Health and Learning Disabilities & Nikky Reed, Occupational Therapist, Kimmeridge Court Eating Disorders Service

Venue:
Conference Centre
Springfield University Hospital
61 Glenburnie Road
London, SW17 7DJ, UK.

7th Study day flyer & application form (151KB PDF help*)

COTSSMH-SIGED was launched in 2002 and past study days have included:

Comments

Two delegates made these comments about the study day on understanding eating disorders using the Model of Human Occupation:

1. Catherine Hurley's write up on COTSSMH- SIGED 6th annual study

A Clinicians Viewpoint

I work as a Senior Occupational Therapist in the Yorkshire Centre for Eating Disorders and this was my second attendance at the national COTSSMH-SIGED study day. The main speaker at the event was Dr Genevieve Pepin from Deakin University, Melbourne, Austalia, (previously Laval University, Canada), presenting findings from her PhD, ‘Understanding eating disorders using the Model of Human Occupation’, undertaken under the supervision of Gary Keilhofner.

The day was well planned, informative, provided a good opportunity for networking, and encouraging in regard to developing areas of potential research for Occupational Therapists working in the field.

The study day was hosted by Laura lock, Head Occupational Therapist at St Georges Springfield Hospital, London who is the chair of COTSSMH-SIGED. Laura has been extremely accommodating and inspirational in her work, assisting us as a newly developing Occupational therapy team in eating disorders three years ago.

Laura introduced Dr Pepin who presented some findings from her PhD, the main aims of which were to enable participants to understand eating disorders using the Model of Human Occupation and apply the model to their clients. Secondly, to explore empirically supported family interventions for eating disordered families.

The presentation and findings were of great interest to the delegates, chiefly as they provide an evidence base for Occupational Therapy in eating disorders, with the systemic Model of Human Occupation providing definitions of key concepts.

Dr Pepin was a very charismatic speaker, presenting the support group she facilitated for families of people with eating disorders. Group work provided opportunity to disseminate the findings and relate them to our particular areas of practice. It likewise enabled us to use experiential techniques and, later to express our thoughts on the treatments utilised in the support group Dr Pepin facilitated. The group work provided opportunity to work with delegates from different parts of the UK, from London to Scotland, plus Iceland.

The Afternoon explored COTSSMH-SIGED business and Laura presented information on the forthcoming chapter in the book “Occupational Therapy in Mental Health: A vision of Participation” due for publication in 2008 by F.A Davis which she co-authored with Dr Pepin.

Priorities for a national audit regarding eating disorders were relayed to the group. This information was collaborated by the members of the specialist interest group for eating disorders.

The study day was interesting and proactive, Dr Pepin’s research providing the focus for the day. Thank you to Laura for hosting the annual study day and to Dr Pepin who travelled form Melbourne to present.

2. Joanne Taylor, MA/PGDip Occupational Therapy, London South Bank University 12th November 2007

6th Annual Study Day: understanding eating disorders using the Model of Human Occupation, plus research findings on family interventions.

A Student Reflection

In September 2007 I was on placement at an adolescent mental health unit. While on this placement, I came into contact with young people who had eating disorders. I observed how the eating disorder impacted upon their daily life and I became increasingly interested in learning more about how as occupational therapists (OTs) we could help people with an eating disorder. Needless to say, that when I came across the advertisement for the eating disorders study day on the COT website, I did not hesitate to book myself a place on the course. I hoped that attending the course would enable me to learn more about the role of Occupational Therapy in the treatment of people with an eating disorder, as well as consolidate my understanding of the model of human occupation (MOHO) through its practical application.

Laura Lock started proceedings by talking fervently about how her work, as an OT, is applied to help people with eating disorders. Laura introduced the guest speaker, Dr Genevieve Pepin, who had travelled all the way from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, to share her knowledge and clinical experience of working as an OT with clients with eating disorders and their families.

I found it interesting that Dr Pepin chose to illustrate her presentation through the use of a non-typical case study of a married woman in her 40’s who had developed an eating disorder. As a student learning OT conceptual models of practice, I had found some of the concepts of the MOHO to be quite complex. However, by applying the MOHO to the case study client, Dr Pepin was able to unravel some of the complexity of this model for me. It also enabled me to understand the importance of using an OT model, such as MOHO, to guide our practice as OT’s to ensure that our work remains occupation focused. One important point that stood out for me was when Dr Pepin applied MOHO to the client’s family, which helped to explain the impact that an eating disorder can have on the everyday functioning of the sufferer’s family. This highlighted the importance of involving the family in the rehabilitation process of people with an eating disorder.

Throughout the day we divided into groups to discuss and share our experiences regarding the difficulties and challenges of working with clients with eating disorders. We also discussed various OT interventions that can be implemented to help treat people with eating disorders. Although, my contribution to these discussions was limited due to my lack of clinical experience, I was able to learn a great deal from the experience of those group members who work with this client group on a daily basis.

In the current climate of evidence based practice, I found it useful to listen to Dr Pepin present her research findings on the effectiveness of parent support groups for parents of people with an eating disorder. At the end of the day I was given the opportunity to visit the Eating Disorders service at St George’s and meet with the OT’s working there. This visit rounded off the day nicely and further helped consolidate my understanding of the role of occupational therapy in the assessment and treatment of eating disorders.

Overall, I found the study day to be a valuable experience and I would highly recommend these studies days to all students. The enthusiasm with which Laura and Dr Pepin spoke about the valuable role of OT, was infectious and inspiring.

Becoming a member of COTSSMH-SIGED

Membership entitles you to:

For details of how to become a COTSSMH-SIGED member, please contact:

ssmembership.adminstration@cot.co.uk

John James
College of Occupational Therapists Ltd
106-114 Borough High Street,
Southwark, London, SE1 1LB, UK

Telephone: 020 7357 6480
Fax: 020 7450 2299
Reg. in England No. 1347374
Reg. Charity No. 275119
VAT Reg. No. 242 7829

For further about the Special Interest Group please contact:
Laura Lock
Head Occupational Therapist, St George’s Eating Disorders Service
and Chair of COTSSMH-SIGED
National Inpatient Unit, Avalon Ward
Springfield University Hospital
Tooting, London, SW17 7DJ
United Kingdom

Email; laura.lock@swlstg-tr.nhs.uk
Tel; +44 (0) 208 682 6468

Website: www.swlstg-tr.nhs.uk