ARFID Pathway Lead

The ARFID Pathway is a dedicated, community-based specialist pathway within CEDS-CYP for children and young people aged 818 years with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) or suspected ARFID. The pathway delivers early, evidence-based, multidisciplinary assessment, consultation and brief intervention, addressing the gap between paediatric and mental health services, improving clinical outcomes, reducing fragmentation of care and preventing avoidable escalation to acute hospital or Tier 4 services. The model incorporates FBT-ARFID and CBT-AR approaches within a structured, time-limited (68 session) treatment model, supported by MDT formulation, and is aligned with system partners including North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT). Toprovide highly specialist clinical leadership of the ARFID Pathway within EL CEDS-CYP, working across Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Psychology, Speech & Language Therapy, Psychiatry and Paediatrics. To provide highly specialist assessment, triage and formulation for children and young people aged 818 with ARFID or suspected ARFID, in line with the pathway's inclusion criteria (declining weight, nutritional deficiency, physical sequelae, MEED Red/Amber risk, ONS or NGT feeding) and exclusion criteria. To evaluate and monitor eating disorder-related clinical risk on an on-going basis, including physical and psychiatric risk, using the MEED risk framework, and to undertake or oversee basic physical health checks (e.g. height, weight) as part of risk assessment. To lead the MDT formulation process for children, young people and their families with complex ARFID presentations and comorbid.