Priory opens day hospital for eating disorders

Priory has opened the UK’s first medically-led eating disorder day hospital for NHS patients at its 31-bed Southampton site.

The new Sapphirewing, named after the sapphirewing hummingbird which can be found in forests across parts of South America, will provide an alternative to traditional inpatient treatment, enabling people to receive intensive specialist support while remaining in the community.

The new day hospital model combines medical management and monitoring, nutritional rehabilitation and psychological therapies – with a focus on ensuring patients do not spend extended periods away from their families and support networks.

Demand for eating disorder services has increased significantly in recent years. NHS data shows an 84% jump in hospital admission between 2015/16 and 2020/21.

Priory said demand for anorexia nervosa treatment at its hospitals had risen by 6.4% over the past year and by 58.3% compared to pre-pandemic levels (2019).

Dr Lucy Ilie, clinical director of the Eating Disorders Network at Priory, said the service’s ethos is to foster resilience, promote independence and equip individuals with the skills needed to sustain recovery.

‘By providing medically-led treatment in a day care environment, patients can access a vital specialist service without having to spend time away from their families, loved ones and personal lives,’ she said.

‘Smooth reintegration into the community is not just a goal of this treatment but an integral, active part of the programme. This approach supports the shift towards more community-based care, reducing reliance on inpatient treatment and helping people stay connected to their everyday lives during recovery.’

Support is delivered by a multidisciplinary team addressing the psychological, nutritional and medical aspects of eating disorders and associated mental health conditions, with consultant psychiatrists involved throughout the patient journey.

Priory Hospital Southampton hospital director Natalie Southgate said: ‘Fundamentally this is about giving people more choice about how they receive their care and we believe this is a model that could lead the way in transforming eating disorder care for many more people.’