300
of 500 signatures
To Members of Parliament
Eating disorders are amongst the most deadly mental illnesses. Despite eating disorders being a treatable illness, too often people are being failed by the system. Many people with eating disorders wait months and even years for treatment; they have to fight for access to basic care and support.
Eating disorders can affect anyone, of any age; gender; ethnicity; and economic background. This is an illness which impacts many in your constituency.
Ailidh was a young woman with anorexia who went in and out of hospital for a decade before sustaining recovery. She received poor community care, which was unable to meet her needs as an autistic patient with a co-occurring physical illness, impacting her ability to sustain upon discharge. Ailidh was told she was too complex, and left to deteriorate physically and mentally. She was failed by the system that could have helped her, and if a better standard of care had been provided in the initial stages, she may have recovered sooner.
Andrea is a woman in her fifties who has lived with anorexia for over 40 years. She attended repeated outpatient appointments and treatment focused primarily on weight gain, which left her feeling like a “fat anorexic.” Without psychological support, her underlying thoughts and behaviors went untreated. After discharge, Andrea continued to seek help but was unable to access further eating disorder treatment on the NHS, as she was deemed “not ill enough.” She was told she was now her “own therapist.” Andrea continues to struggle each day and knows her brain is not functioning properly due to malnutrition. As she puts it, “I certainly wouldn’t be safe to make an informed, ‘sensible’ decision about assisted dying.”
These stories are not unique — they reflect many of our experiences and people living with eating disorders. Because of systemic failures in care, many of us have at times felt that we would rather be dead than alive. If this bill had been law during the years many of us were struggling, we would have used it to end our lives.
Open letter text
You may think this law would not apply to people affected by eating disorders. But right now in the UK, many of us could meet the definition of terminal in this bill due to clinicians labeling us “untreatable,” “treatment resistant,” “severe and enduring,” and worst of all “terminal”.
If Parliament elects to change the law on assisted dying, then it must do so responsibly. The recent Equality Impact Assessment does not go far enough to consider the unique complexities of eating disorders and has failed to address the concerns raised by eating disorder patients and clinicians.
On behalf of those who once wanted their lives to end, and are now able to be grateful to be alive; we are asking you to do better. All that is really needed is help to live, not medication to die.
Signers list
The assisted dying bill is not safe for those affected by eating disorders
Next step - spread the word
The assisted dying bill is not safe for those affected by eating disorders
The assisted dying bill is not safe for those affected by eating disorders
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