ID-5184 Wonca Abstracts supplement A-K 13-10-23 - Flipbook - Page 156
WONCA 2023 Supplement 1: WONCA 2023 abstracts (A–K)
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Eating disorders in general practice: A 360° look at the
barriers to intervention and how to bust them down
Ms Sally Corry1,2, Peta Marks1,2, Karen Spielman1,2, Daniel Rogers1,2, Sarah Maguire1,2
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InsideOut Institute University of Sydney, 2Sydney Local Health District
The prevalence of eating disorders (EDs) in the population has significantly increased since the onset
of the COVID pandemic. Early intervention and treatment decreases the risk of morbidity and mortality
and yet very few people with EDs are detected in primary care. As with all other mental illnesses,
outcomes are better when EDs are detected early and appropriate interventions are provided, but
many general practitioners (GPs) feel they lack the adequate knowledge and skills to identify and treat
people experiencing EDs and many patients feel that GPs lack understanding, fail to take concerns
seriously, resulting in delayed referral to specialist services/evidence-based treatment. This workshop
aims to recognise the barriers to early identification and intervention within GP practice and provide
skills and tools to enable and support GPs at point of care.
Extensive consultation with GPs, consumers and primary care practices will be presented including
videos from consumer/GP perspectives. In discussion with participants, difficulties and barriers will
be explored along with the roles of GPs, their practice staff and processes. A panel of experts (GP,
practice management, mental health nurse) will address barriers and discuss different skills needed
at various times in the treatment journey and at different levels of complexity. Practical skills and
innovative new tools will be presented supporting screening, clinical decision making and evidencebased treatment recommendations and explored in a fast-paced group activity with short ED case
scenarios. Participants should leave with a clearer understanding of the importance of their role in
the intervention and recovery journey of people living with EDs, ideas and tools to take back to their
practice and a greater confidence and willingness to intervene, changing the projected outcomes for
this fast-growing illness population into the future.
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