Italy: Recent National Law on ED

By Umberto Nizzoli

Latest governmental budget law of 2021 introduced a great novelty regarding ED in Italy.

ED are recognized among the LEAs, list of provisions that the universal NHS must guarantee to all. Until then what happened? Each Region had its own model from which ED could find space or not. So in many parts of the country there aren’t organized NHS response.

Even in those areas, interventions for EDs should now be guaranteed.

This law is the effect of a long struggle carried out by associations and professionals.

But all healthcare is in the power of the 21 Regions. So there are 21 Regional Health Systems, many similar and sometimes different with enormous disparity. To get a rough idea, an Italian suffering from any of the mental disorders receives an average of 15 interventions/ year provided by doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses or social workers. In one region, the average is well above: Friuli Venezia-Giulia: each of its citizens receives an average of 33 interventions/ year. The rear is Molise where its citizens with mental disorders has an average of 5 interventions/ year.

Since power remains in the hands of the Regions, we will probably continue to witness the fact that in some there is a well-integrated system with also of great clinical excellence while in others there is a condition if not of abandonment of neglect.

Critical problems not end there.

Nobody knows how much ED currently cost the NHS. Approximate estimates speak of 600-800 million Euros a year. The law mentioned awards 25 million in 2 years. An ammount that is generous to define laughable. This means that the struggle by carer and professionals is not over. It will be necessary to defend the safeguards that have been created so far and use the additional resources to introduce innovations.

August 2022 Advocacy & Carer Report

By: Helen Missen F.E.A.S.T

Over the past 9 months, following encouragement from the outgoing president (Ashish) and the incoming (Umberto), we have had an ever growing presence in Europe amongst the lived experience community.

Navigating the various language barriers, I am humbled by the passion and commitment to change across many of the European countries, whilst also encouraged that we have a solution focussed approach to collaboration where there may be cultural differences.

There is a similarity that spans all: to find parity of care and inclusion of evidence based treatment as a norm.

Whilst shockingly, many European countries still do not believe in using the wealth of evidence for treatment, this group consists of organisations begun by carers who share the same values for commitment to working with professionals and treatment providers within the field of Eating Disorders.

These organizations provide support for families, whilst also trying to encourage clinicians to become evidence based in the treatment of patients and families, utilising the worldwide research available.

We are represented by Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Norway, Israel, UK and Austria, with plans to find other organizations on the ground in more European countries.

Our aim is to include as many of the European Chapter AED board members to deliver talks to the group, at our monthly meetings, so as to encourage collaboration between clinicians and lived experience across Europe.