Yesterday in Parliament MP Steffan Aquarone raised urgent concerns about failings in the care of Patricia, a 25-year-old woman with anorexia nervosa, and called for immediate action to save her life. Patricia has a life-threateningly low BMI and has been unable to walk for nearly two years due to severe malnutrition. Despite her repeated pleas for help and desire for treatment, she has been discharged from hospitals and left without the care she desperately needs.
Patricia’s condition is critical. In May 2023, the Court of Protection heard evidence describing her anorexia as “treatment resistant” and “not treatable.” The judge noted that Patricia was in a “pre-death stage” and acknowledged that “she does not want to die.” Despite this, she was discharged into community and palliative care services.
Her case comes amid growing concerns about avoidable deaths in eating disorder care, as highlighted in the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s scathing report, which described “clear failures of care” by GPs, hospitals and specialists in the deaths of adults with eating disorders.
Since then, Patricia and her family have repeatedly requested admission to an eating disorder unit, physiotherapy, and specialist support, but say those requests have been denied. Her aunt described her condition: “Patricia now cannot walk at all. She has been effectively abandoned by the medical team. She is incredibly keen to be treated and very scared—she doesn’t want to die.”
In October 2023, Patricia was brought back before the Court of Protection in a critical state. She was described as clinically septic, suffering from non-healing pressure ulcers, generalised oedema, and at a very high risk of death. A clinician stated, “She looks the most emaciated I have ever seen her.” Despite these observations, the court declined to authorise involuntary treatment, with the judge noting, “I fear her death might be imminent.”
“At the heart of this case is a false dichotomy often imposed in severe eating disorder cases,” said Chelsea Roff, Executive Director of Eat Breathe Thrive, an eating disorder charity. “Patients are given a choice between being restrained, sedated, and force-fed or receiving no treatment at all. That is not a choice anyone should have to make in a modern healthcare system.”
Patricia’s past experiences in eating disorder care have left her distressed at the prospect of nasogastric feeding—a process whereby a feeding tube is placed through the nose and into the stomach. Her mother recounted: “She is terrified of a feeding tube. Last time, they had five people holding her down, forcing a tube into her. It was awful. We were on the other end of the phone with her screaming.”
Patricia’s case highlights the urgent need for reform in how the NHS handles severe and complex eating disorder cases. MP Aquarone is urging NHS services to enforce the Medical Emergencies in Eating Disorders (MEED) Guidelines and to ensure that eating disorder care is equitable, coordinated, and humane, regardless of a patient’s condition or stage of illness.
“This is not just about Patricia,” her aunt said. “It’s about ensuring no one else is forced into cruel and life-threatening ultimatums. We need an NHS that treats people with dignity and compassion.”
Norfolk MP Highlights Plight of Woman with Anorexia and Calls for Urgent Reform in NHS Eating Disorder Care
