Question reference: S6W-26362
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 21 March 2024
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Current status: Answered by Maree Todd on 16 April 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been carried out of the number of eating disorder patients who are neurodivergent.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not collect this data. Individual NHS boards may hold this data locally and are best placed to advise.
We do know that eating disorders can co-occur with neurodevelopmental conditions including autism and ADHD. The draft National Specification for Treatment and Care of Eating Disorders outlines that we would expect services to work jointly with other services to care for anyone with co-occurring considerations.
The Scottish Government also partners with and provides funding to a number of organisations that can support neurodivergent people who are living with an eating disorder. These include the National Autistic Society Scotland, which has published useful guidance and information that can help autistic people who struggle with eating in different ways.