Research and development

Exciting progress during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic meant we needed to adjust the way in which brief eating disorder focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT-T) treatment was rolled out in the service. Not only did all our CBT-T practitioners receive their training online, the treatment was delivered online as well, through the NHS England Attend Anywhere platform. This enabled us to evaluate the outcomes of treatment, and consider the effectiveness of our online delivery in relation to published data on face to face delivery.

What is CBT-T?

Developed in 2013 and publicly launched in 2019, CBT-T is a psychological treatment for “adolescents and adults with non-underweight eating disorders (including bulimia nervosa, atypical anorexia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, and others)”.

What does cognitive behavioural (CBT-T) therapy involve?

It involves 10 sessions of individual treatment, regardless of specific diagnosis. The treatment is broken down into five phases, some of which overlap:

  • psychoeducation and changing eating patterns
  • challenging beliefs about food
  • eating and weight
  • addressing emotional triggers
  • body image work, and relapse prevention.

Treatment will be reviewed around session four to check that the client is finding CBT-T helpful, before it may be extended up to 10 sessions.

Brief Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Non-Underweight Patients.jpgReferences:

Waller, G., Turner, H. M., Tatham, M., Mountford, V. A., & Wade, T. D. (2019). Brief cognitive behavioural therapy for non-underweight participants: CBT-T for eating disorders. Hove, UK: Routledge.

CBT-T Treatment Description (n.d) Cognitive behavioural therapy for patients with non-underweight eating disorders – in ten sessions.

CBT-T delivery in our service

The videos below explain how we rolled out CBT-T in our service and adapted this for online delivery.

Type 1 diabetes and eating disorders

Some time ago the team became aware of increased risk of eating disorders occurring in those with Type 1 diabetes. Links were established between University Hospitals Dorset diabetes service based in Bournemouth and Kimmeridge Court.

At around the same time, an invitation to apply for funding  was made by NHS England and a joint bid was submitted which was successful.

Since that time staff from both organisations have worked to develop further links in Dorset and Portsmouth to identify those likely to have both conditions and to offer support and treatment jointly with eating disorder and diabetes specialists seeing service users together.

In addition to providing treatment advice and support the staff involved have developed a document detailing the risks faced by individuals with both conditions and advice about what may help.

The project runs until March 2022 and discussions are taking place as to how we may provide this specialist combined approach on an ongoing basis.

The joint approach has been well received by service users and been an educational and enjoyable experience for the staff involved.

Outcomes are currently being analysed and it will be interesting to see the impact of this novel coordinated approach.

Contact us

For more information, email dhc.eatingdisorders@nhs.net

Eating Disorders