BETHAN JENKINS AC / AM

Aelod Cynulliad Plaid Cymru - Gorllewin De Cymru               

Plaid Cymru Assembly Member - South Wales West

75 Briton Ferry Road

Melincryddan

Neath

SA11 1AR

Tel; 01639 643549

William Powell AM

Chair, Petitions Committee

National Assembly for Wales

Ty Hywel

Falcon Drive

Cardiff

CF99 1NA

June 7, 2013

REF: BJDH-WP-CAEDSP-07-06-13

Dear William,

Child and Adolescent Eating Disorder Service petition

I am writing as chair of the Cross-Party Group on Eating Disorders to give a response to the above petition.

The group met on May 21 and discussed this petition, and we were in agreement with the main findings of the evidence given by Beat Cymru to the Petitions Committee, and summarised by Susannah Humphreys in her letter to you on March 22 this year.

In short, on the basis of the evidence I have heard, I would agree with Susannah that community children and adolescent mental health services in Wales are insufficient to meet current demand, and I would back the petitioner’s call for matched funding.

It is clear, from what Beat Cymru have said and from the evidence to the committee that CAMHS requires a great deal more focus and a joined-up approach from local health boards, because if we don’t get to grips with eating disorders when they present in young people, then we are storing up trouble for the future. Not only will this mean increased costs for the NHS in the future but, more importantly, it will leave people with eating disorders suffering for longer than they should be.

As chair of the chair of the Cross-Party Group on Eating Disorders, I will continue to question the Welsh Government on its strategy in this area, and will report back to the committee as and when there are developments.

Kind Regards,

Bethan Jenkins AM South Wales West

Aelod Cynulliad Plaid Cymru - Gorllewin De Cymru

Plaid Cymru Assembly Member - South Wales West