Eating Disorder Services

An Eating Disorder specialist clinician will provide an initial assessment that will last 90 minutes. This appointment involves talking about the problems you are currently experiencing and will enquire around the development of these difficulties from childhood to now. You will discuss your goals and hopes for the future and the positive impact change would make. You will be asked about the origins of your symptoms, what may have precipitated them and what your current life is like now. You will also be asked about your physical and mental wellbeing along with any family history of mental and physical health.

At the end of the session, you may also set some achievable goals to begin working on. A psychiatric assessment is an opportunity for you to gain clarity on factors that may be contributing to your presenting difficulty and working towards a personalised plan to improve this with the support and guidance of a mental health expert.

All patients presenting with any difficulties around food or eating will need to undergo an initial assessment to ensure we are able to provide the most suitable treatment for each person. In addition to the above you will also receive a detailed report and treatment plan from your clinician.

Our Eating Disorder Assessments are presently completed by Dr Katie Au, Dr Niki Kern, Dr Louisa Beckford, Dr Omara Naseem and Dr Sajdah Zaman.

Eating Disorder assessments are charged at £670.

Any further follow-up appointments will then be charged at normal follow-up rates, as needed.

After an Eating Disorder psychiatric assessment, most patients will be asked to return for a follow-up appointment with the same clinician to further discuss a treatment plan and check in on their mental health and specific symptoms since the previous session.

Patients are active members of their treatment and are encouraged to ask questions to ensure all aspects are attainable and sustainable. Your clinician will formulate a personalised plan once the necessary information is obtained with the assessment and follow-up(s).

Plans may include physical tests such as ECG scans, blood tests, physical observation monitoring which can be done by your GP; a referral to a psychologist to begin treatment and to a dietician if appropriate.

Our Eating Disorder follow ups are presently completed by Dr Katie Au, Dr Niki Kern, Dr Louisa Beckford, Dr Omara Naseem and Dr Sajdah Zaman.

Eating Disorder follow ups are charged at £245-250 for 30 minutes.

This assessment allows those who would like to improve their relationships with food, eating or their body image but do not feel they meet the criteria for diagnosis to access help with their symptoms. This appointment will last 90 minutes with one of our eating disorder specialists and will include a detailed report with findings and recommendations.

Disordered eating describes an unhealthy relationship with food, exercise or one’s body resulting in a range of irregular eating behaviours. More commonly, disordered eating can present as clean eating, cutting out food groups, following diets, using apps to track intake, obsessively counting macros/micros and calories etc. Disordered eating can also include limiting food intake, binge eating (eating a very large amount of food at once and feeling out of control of eating) and/or purging (making yourself sick or misusing laxatives). People may also exercise a lot, or exercise in rigid ways. These behaviours can be interpreted as “healthy” when taken out of context, but together may represent a phenomenon that warrants intervention.

Because disordered eating can develop into an eating disorder if left untreated, early intervention is key. It is likely that psychological therapy will be recommended after this appointment. This usually aims to identify and challenge one’s underlying thoughts and emotions that have previously maintained unhealthy eating behaviours.

Our Disordered Eating Consultations are presently completed by Dr Omara Naseem and Dr Sajdah Zaman.

Please enquire with our Patient Services team for current fee levels.

The recommended therapies for eating disorders primarily revolve around cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) specifically for eating disorders, which is a form of talk therapy that targets the core pathologies that underpin an eating disorder including thinking styles, emotional regulation, behavioural change, building healthy coping strategies, focusing on identity and improving self-esteem. CBT breaks down issues into manageable parts and teaches people how to modify negative beliefs, behaviours and thought patterns for improved emotional well-being, whilst also providing support and guidance.

Various evidence-based models of therapy are used in the treatment of eating disorders, and your clinician will tailor treatment specifically for you. The objectives of these therapies are to minimize risks to both physical and psychological well-being, promote healthy eating habits, and facilitate recovery by assisting in cultivating healthy coping mechanisms by addressing the underlying thoughts and emotions associated with the eating disorder.

The therapies we often employ include;

• CBT-ED

• MANTRA

• SSCM

• Schema Therapy

• Focal Psychodynamic therapy

The duration and frequency of sessions will vary based on the duration and severity of illness, and in most cases, they will take place once a week for 50 minutes. These treatment options are based on evidence of their effectiveness in treating eating disorders. However, individual responses may vary, and we don’t ascribe to a one-approach-fits-all belief system – we'll work together to find a route forward that works.

Specialised Psychological Therapy for Eating Disorders is presently offered by Dr Omara Naseem and Dr Sajdah Zaman.

Please enquire with our Patient Services team for current fee levels.

• Referrals from GPs are preferrable but if this is not possible, then we will need written confirmation of your registration with a GP. This is to ensure we are able to arrange the necessary care for you throughout your treatment.

• If you have previously received any psychiatric treatment, past reports or letters would be useful to provide prior to an assessment.

• Recent blood test results, if available.

Our clinicians offer a combination of in-person and virtual appointments. Your preference will be taken into account when deciding the delivery of your treatment, as well as your clinician’s assessment of what may be best for you on a case-by-case basis.

We often work alongside La Maison Medicale for physical tests - please email Patient Services to arrange an introduction.

We are conscious that Eating Disorders often present in the company of other Mental Health challenges, and diagnoses, and our team are well-versed in identifying these, and treating the person as a whole.

At the Sloane Court Clinic we are also fortunate to work in a highly-skilled multi-disciplinary team, allowing patients to have input from a range of experienced specialists across differing Mental Health areas as needed and deemed required by both the primary clinician, and patient.

We have an extensive list of general FAQs available here, or do contact our team for further assistance.