Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (OBMH) is proposing to open a specialist eating disorders service in Marlborough, Wiltshire.

The unit, which would be based on the Cotswold House model in Oxford, would be sited at Savernake Hospital close to Marlborough, Wiltshire. It would offer specialist services for people with severe eating disorders in a 12-bed unit as well as outpatient and day patient services. This is in response to the continual high need for specialist treatments in the south of England for this serious disorder which affects many young adults.

Julie Waldron, Chief Executive, OBMH, said, “The Trust will be working in close partnership with Wiltshire PCT to meet the needs of the local community and the surrounding counties. We want to build a service that replicates the success of the unit in Oxford and will be looking to recruit staff from the local area to help us do this.”

The services would be offered to clients over the age of 17 ½ with severe eating disorders who would benefit from specialist treatment. The service will provide evidence based treatments including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), support for families and a therapeutic group programme.

Wiltshire PCT’s Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Therapies, Sally Sandcraft, said, “By providing specialist care for adults with severe eating disorders from Savernake Hospital, the new unit will help ensure there is a wider range of options available to meet the health needs of the people of Wiltshire, as well as surrounding counties. We are working closely with Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust to take forward this exciting project over the coming months.”

OBMH will be working on site over the coming months to prepare the building for the new service which is planned to open in late autumn 2008