This fact sheet outlines the need for collaboration between proffessionals supporting individuals with eating disorders, the types of professionals who can be helpful, and advice on choosing a treatment team.

Choosing a Treatment Team

Treatment typically involves collaboration between the person experiencing the eating disorder, their family or carer and a range of health professionals. It is important to have a good relationship with the health professionals in your treatment team.

This means that they should understand the experience of living with an eating disorder, and that you and your family should:

• Feel comfortable to talk openly without fear of judgement.
• Trust the team.
• Be able to work with the professionals as
  a team.

Treatment can be tough and may impact how you feel about the treatment team, so it is important to separate the challenges of treatment from any tensions in these relationships. It is important to understand that a good health professional will not always say what you want to hear. That will be because they are challenging the eating disorder.

If you do not feel listened to and understood, or if your health professionals are not working with you towards improving your symptoms, quality of life or working towards recovery, then it may be appropriate to seek treatment elsewhere.

What professionals should be involved?

It is recommended that at a minimum you involve in your team:

1. Medical Practitioner
2. Mental Health Practitioner
3. Dietitian

1. Medical Practitioners

General Practitioner\
For many people the General Practitioner (GP) will be the first point of contact with the health system.

A GP is a doctor who has general medical expertise.

The role of the GP includes:

• Listening effectively & building rapport
• Diagnosing the problem•Assessing the severity of the illness by performing physical examinations and mental state assessments
• Conducting the necessary investigations
• Monitoring medical stability on an ongoing basis (no other health professional will likely do this), and
• Coordinating appropriate referrals and care plans, and communicating with the treatment team
• Providing information about eating disorders
• Provide information about other support services
• Making arrangements for a hospital admission to restore physical health, if required
• Talking to carers or parents to help them understand what is happening

Psychiatrist

Psychiatrists assess and diagnose the eating disorder, as well as other comorbid psychiatric and/or medical problems. They may refer to a GP, paediatrician or physician to exclude physical differential diagnoses and to diagnose and manage physical complications.

The role of the Psychiatrist includes:

• Provide a thorough assessment
• Develop treatment plans
• Providing individual psychotherapy or family therapy
• Prescribe medication and monitor how the medication is working
• Management of risk, including the use of the Mental Health Act
• In coordinating the care of clients with eating disorders, the psychiatrist may be required to provide supervision to staff regarding issues that may arise in the context of managing clients with complex problems.

Paediatrician\
A paediatrician is a doctor who has medical expertise with infants, children and adolescents.

The role of the Paediatrician includes:

• Conducting an initial assessment
• Talking to carers or parents to help them
  understand what is happening
• Providing information about treatment
  options
• Making referrals to other specialist services
• Admitting patients to hospital and developing treatment plans for medically unstable children and adolescents
• Specialising in the medical management of
  younger patients with eating disorders

Physician \
A physician is a doctor who has undertaken further training in a medical specialty to diagnose and manage complex problems.

This may include:

• An endocrinologist who will look into hormonal imbalances, particularly the absence of normal menstruation in females
• A gastroenterologist who will look into issues regarding the gastrointestinal tract, particularly in relation to pain, constipation and vomiting caused by restricting and purging behaviours

2. Mental Health Professionals

Mental health professionals can provide evidence-based care for people with an eating disorder.

Psychologist\
Psychologists are commonly involved in the treatment of eating disorders. They will use a variety of therapeutic approaches to address the psychological issues associated with the eating disorder as well as other problems that the person may be experiencing alongside the eating disorder.

Social Worker\
A social worker is often involved with treatment if the person presents with behavioural, social or mental health problems in addition to an eating disorder.

Social workers can provide individual, couple and family counselling for the person and their carers or family. They can also provide evidence-based treatment for eating disorders and facilitate other supports that may be needed.

Occupational Therapist\
Occupational therapists and rehabilitation therapists help someone to develop, practice and implement the life skills they require to address disordered eating behaviours. They can also provide evidence-based treatment for eating disorders.

Nurses and Mental Health Nurses\
Nurses and mental health nurses form a part of the multidisciplinary treatment team. Their role is to provide practical medical and mental health care for someone experiencing an eat- ing disorder while that person is hospitalised or gaining treatment via the health system.

Family Therapist\
For children and adolescents, the treatment with the most evidence is family-based treatment (FBT). This therapy can be delivered by different types of health practitioners (e.g. psychologists, social workers, counsellors), not just those called family therapists. This type of therapy will not suit all families, so work with your health practitioners to determine if it is likely to work for you.

3. Dieticians

An Accredited Practicing Dietitian is a health professional qualified in nutrition and dietetics and registered with Dietitians Australia. A dietitian can provide nutrition support and counselling to guide an individual with an eating disorder to address their relationship with food, actively renourish their body, and work on their food recovery.