
{"id":81,"date":"2023-10-18T16:12:37","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T15:12:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/wceds\/?page_id=81"},"modified":"2026-06-03T13:48:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T12:48:18","slug":"faq","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/bceds\/faq\/","title":{"rendered":"Frequently asked questions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Our answers to frequently asked questions.<\/p>\n<h2>Getting help<\/h2>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">My GP has referred me, what happens next?<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>We will look at the referral and allocate two members of the team to assess you and invite you to one of our assessment clinics.<\/p>\n<p>We will then send you an appointment letter, as well as some questionnaires to complete.<\/p>\n<p>We arrange assessments as soon as we can, so you will hear from us shortly after we receive the referral.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">I am concerned about a family member\/ friend; what can I do?<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>The first point of contact would be their GP, who can refer them to our service.<\/p>\n<p>We also accepted referrals from other professionals working in primary and secondary healthcare services.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<h2>Assessment<\/h2>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">What does an assessment with the Buckinghamshire Community Eating Disorder Service involve? <\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>You will be invited to one of our assessment clinics to meet with two members of the team. The assessment itself typically lasts around one and a half hours.<\/p>\n<p>We will ask you questions about your relationship with food, your weight, and your shape. It\u2019s important that we know your height and weight as part of the assessment. We understand this can be hard for some people, and you can talk to the clinician about how we can take these measurements in a way that feels comfortable for you. This information will help us decide the right treatment for you.<\/p>\n<p>We will also ask questions about other parts of your life, like your work and relationships.<\/p>\n<p>If there are any questions you don\u2019t feel comfortable answering, just let the clinician know.<\/p>\n<p>Following the assessment, the assessing clinicians meet with other professionals in the team, for a multidisciplinary discussion. Following this, you will hear from the assessing clinicians again to discuss whether we are the right service for you, and if so, treatment options that we can offer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Should I attend the assessment if I don\u2019t think I have an eating disorder?<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>The assessment is to help us understand if you are having difficulties that could be linked to an eating disorder, and if we can offer the right treatment for you.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes, people may have an eating disorder but don\u2019t realise it. We encourage you to come to the assessment so we can explore this together with a clinician.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Will you weigh me in the appointment or ask for my current weight? <\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>Before your assessment starts you will meet with a member of the nursing team, who will complete physical health observations, which will include your weight and height.<\/p>\n<p>If you are not comfortable with this, please talk to the clinician during your appointment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Do I have to be below a specific weight to be seen by your services? <\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>No. We understand that eating disorders affect people in different ways, both physically and mentally.<\/p>\n<p>We do not have a weight or BMI limit for accessing our services.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">What happens after my assessment? <\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>Following the assessment, the assessing clinicians meet with other professionals in the team, for a multidisciplinary discussion. Following this, you will either receive a phone call from one of the assessing clinicians or meet in person to discuss whether we are the right service for you, and if so, the most appropriate treatment options.<\/p>\n<p>We will also explain if there is a waiting time and what support you can access while preparing for treatment to start.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<h2>Appointments<\/h2>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">I can\u2019t make the appointment that has been arranged for me, what should I do? <\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>Please call us on 01865 901 091 as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<p>We will try to rearrange your appointment for a time that suits you, but please be aware that there are set days and times when we have our assessment clinics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">I am feeling anxious about coming to the appointment, what should I do? <\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>It\u2019s normal to feel anxious about an assessment. We understand that it can be hard to talk about your difficulties, and this may be the first time you have discussed them in detail.<\/p>\n<p>If you are worried about attending, please call us on 01865 901 091 and ask to speak to a clinician. We can discuss ways to help you feel more comfortable about attending your appointment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">I don\u2019t want to come to the appointment, what should I do? <\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>Please call us on 01865 901 091 to cancel the appointment. One of our clinicians may want to speak to you about any concerns you have about attending.<\/p>\n<p>Let us know as soon as possible so we can offer the appointment to someone else who is waiting. If people don\u2019t inform us they are not attending, the appointment cannot be offered to someone else and\u00a0 it can affect our waiting times.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">What if I miss my assessment appointment? <\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>If you miss your appointment, please contact us as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<p>If you do not attend without letting us know, we will write to you to check if you still want to be assessed.<\/p>\n<p>If we don\u2019t hear from you, or if you miss any more appointments without notifying us, we will assume you no longer want to be seen by our service and discharge you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Can I bring someone with me to the appointment? <\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>Yes, you can bring someone with you. They can stay for the whole appointment, part of it, or wait in the hospital waiting area or caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n<p>If you need an interpreter, let us know and we will arrange this for you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Can I bring my children to my appointment? <\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>We recommend you do not bring children to your appointment, as the topics we discuss may be sensitive.<\/p>\n<p>We know it can be hard to arrange childcare. If you need to rearrange your appointment, please call us on 01865 904099 as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Is there parking at the Whiteleaf Centre? <\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>Yes, there is a pay-and-display car park. You can pay with coins or through a mobile payment.<\/p>\n<p>There is free disabled parking available.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<h2>Treatment<\/h2>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">What will be involved in treatment e.g contemplation work\/ support and monitoring\/ therapy etc?<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>This will be decided after your initial assessment.<\/p>\n<p>The assessing clinician will discuss options with you as part of your assessment, and we will then make recommendations for treatment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Do I have to be weighed as part of treatment?<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>It is helpful for us to keep track of our patients\u2019 weight, so we do recommend that you are weighed regularly throughout treatment.<\/p>\n<p>Depending on where you are in your treatment, this can be done by a member of our team, by your GP or you can take responsibility for your own weighing.<\/p>\n<p>This is something that will be discussed with you at the start of your treatment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">How long will I be able to access support for?<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>There is no specific time limit on treatment; everyone has individual treatments plans and their own treatment goals.<\/p>\n<p>After your initial assessment, we will make recommendations for treatment and we may specify a number of sessions, but this will be reviewed regularly.<\/p>\n<p>It may also be that you require different levels or types of help and support throughout your treatment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">If I have childcare problems can I bring my child to a session as a one off?<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>It is best if you discuss this with the team member that you are seeing, as different sessions may involve different things and this may not be appropriate.<\/p>\n<p>If you are having trouble arranging childcare to fit around appointments, then please contact us and we can try to arrange alternative appointments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our answers to frequently asked questions. Getting help Assessment Appointments Treatment<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":6,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-81","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/bceds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/81","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/bceds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/bceds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/bceds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/bceds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/bceds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/81\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":654,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/bceds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/81\/revisions\/654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/bceds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}