OnDemand: Treating and Tackling Eating Disorders Conference 2026
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2026 Overview
Eating disorders are an escalating public health challenge in the UK, placing growing pressure on health, education and community support systems. Rising prevalence, waiting times and stigma mean that many individuals are not receiving timely or appropriate support, particularly those from under-represented groups.
Renewed parliamentary focus on early intervention indicates progress, but campaigners continue to warn that services remain overstretched. Without efficient care, too many people risk reaching crisis point before help is available. These challenges underline the importance of strategies that prioritise early detection and fair access to services.
2026 Agenda
Chair’s Opening Remarks
Vanessa Longley, Chief Executive Officer, Beat
Keynote: Parliamentary and Policy Updates on Eating Disorder Care
- Examining trends in eating disorders in the UK, focusing on rising prevalence and widening gaps in access to timely care
- Challenging stigma and outdated stereotypes that continue to shape public understanding and policy responses to eating disorders
- Supporting early detection and prevention by addressing failures in current care pathways
- Addressing the social drivers of eating disorders through public health policy
Wera Hobhouse MP, Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Eating Disorders
Keynote: Improving Health Outcomes for the Under-represented with Eating Disorders
- Examining how eating disorders impact under-represented and marginalised groups, and how services often fail to recognise and respond to this reality
- Challenging dominant narratives around eating disorders, and exploring how bias and bigotry delay help-seeking and restrict access to care
- Ensuring that lived experience and community-led expertise inform culturally competent support and improve outcomes for marginalised groups
- Promoting equality in policy and practice, supporting clinicians and legislators to redesign services to improve access to care
Dr Chukwuemeka Nwuba, Director, Club Majority
Keynote: Lived Experience and Recovery
- Examining the hidden onset of eating disorders within high-pressure environments and exploring the internalised voice of illness
- Challenging denial and high-functioning facades that mask severity and delay recognition by families and professionals
- Exploring engagement with treatment and the gradual building of trust with recovery support
- Reframing recovery as non-linear and ongoing, reclaiming identity beyond illness
Molly Bartrip, Lived Experience, Mental Health Advocate and Vice-Captain for Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Women
Questions and Answers
Comfort Break
Keynote: Not All Eating Disorders are Visible
- Challenging misconceptions around who develops eating disorders and how they present
- Exploring whether disordered eating behaviours have become normalised within society
- Updates from the Dump the Scales campaign and efforts to improve equal access to treatment
- Discussing the risks associated with early discharge and gaps in ongoing support
- Identifying the changes needed to improve outcomes for people with eating disorders
Hope Virgo, Secretariat for the All Party Parliamentary Group on Eating Disorders and Founder of Dump the Scales
Keynote: Preventing Adverse Consequences of Eating Disorders
- Exploring recent evidence on the adverse outcomes associated with eating disorders
- Examining the causes of premature mortality and serious physical health complications
- Outlining which patients are at greatest risk of poor outcomes
- Assessing the implications for services and treatment
Dr Agnes Ayton, Vice Chair of the Faculty of Eating Disorders, Royal College of Psychiatrists
Case Study: Ensuring Early Prevention in Schools
- Outlining practical guidance for recognising and supporting individuals affected by eating disorders in schools
- Strategies for identifying and supporting at-risk individuals experiencing low self-esteem or unhealthy relationships with food and exercise
- Equipping non-clinical professionals with the appropriate knowledge and confidence to provide early intervention
- Identifying key contributing factors to eating disorders, such as social pressures and academic stresses
Jenny Tomei, Founder, JenUp Community Interest Company
Questions and Answers
Chair’s Closing Remarks
Vanessa Longley, Chief Executive Officer, Beat
Conference End
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2026 Speakers
Vanessa Longley
Chief Executive Officer
Beat
Hope Virgo
Secretariat for the All Party Parliamentary Group on Eating Disorders
Founder of #DumpTheScales
Agnes Ayton
Vice Chair of the Faculty of Eating Disorders
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Dr Chukwuemeka Nwuba
Chief Executive Officer
Club Majority
Testimonials
I really enjoyed the event, it was interesting to hear from a range of speakers, including those with lived experience. Thank you
A well organised event with relevant information shared. It’s given me food for thought!
Great conference, good speakers with up to date research and information
This was a highly valuable and insightful event on Eating Disorders. I’m very pleased I was able to attend. It provided me with a much clearer understanding of the latest research developments and the range of resources currently available in this field
