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Eating disorders · Professional help

Help them get assessed

You can help with the practical parts without taking over the appointment.

Choose the route by urgencyFor a non-urgent concern, the NHS advises speaking to a GP as soon as possible. If there are urgent physical or mental-health concerns, or you do not know their GP, call the urgent service for their UK nation. A friend or family member can call on their behalf.
Do not wait for a routine appointment if the situation may be urgent. Call 999 for immediate danger or a life-threatening medical emergency. For an urgent physical-health concern in England, call NHS 111. For urgent mental-health help, call their existing crisis team if they have one, or use the service and number shown for their UK nation.

You do not need to find their GP before asking for urgent advice. In England call 111 for urgent physical-health concerns, or select the mental-health option for urgent mental-health help. Use the UK nation urgent-help page elsewhere. Call 999 for immediate danger or a life-threatening medical emergency.

Prepare useful information

  • Write down observable changes and when they began.
  • Include physical symptoms, changes in eating or exercise and any effect on daily life.
  • List medicines and existing services if the person agrees.
  • Write the questions they want answered.
  • Ask what happens next and who to contact if things worsen.

Ask about specialist support

NICE says decisions about whether to offer treatment should not be based only on body mass index, the length of the illness or a single physical measure. If the GP is concerned, ask what specialist eating-disorder assessment or referral is available locally.

Sources: NHS and NICE
NHS: eating disorders and NICE guideline NG69.

If the service says no

Ask what was decided, who made the decision, why, and what support is offered instead. Send new information about changes or risk, with dates. Use the site-wide page for nation-specific complaint and escalation routes.

What to do when services say no

Get advice for yourself

Beat's helplines and family-and-friends hub can help you prepare for conversations and understand available support. They are not emergency services.

Source: Beat
Beat: family and friends support hub.
They will not accept helpSupport around meals

This page organises public guidance from the linked organisations; it has not been clinically reviewed by Here for Someone.

Sources checked: 27 August 2026

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