For crisis support call Lifeline on 13 11 14, MH Call 1300 642 255 or in an emergency call 000
About
Eating disorders
Services delivered within a general practice setting, including a person's usual GP and practice nurse
A general practitioner (GP) is a doctor who provides general healthcare for all physical and mental health concerns.
Your GP will provide ongoing care as you work towards your recovery goals.
Continuing to see your GP regularly alongside other services and supports is important for someone with an eating disorder. Your GP will:
Your GP may develop a care plan with you. It may be called an Eating Disorder Treatment and Management Plan (EDTMP), a Mental Health Treatment Plan and/or a Chronic Disease Management Plan.
These treatment plans generally involve referral into allied health services and psychology and counselling.
Your treatment plan can have multiple steps and often multiple services working together. Engaging a multidisciplinary team of providers is important for recovery from an eating disorder. Your GP’s role is to monitor and review the progress of your treatment plan, which involves regular communication and coordination with other providers involved in your treatment.
Your GP will also undertake regular monitoring of your physical and mental health. When you attend an appointment with your GP, they may ask to weigh you and observe your blood pressure, pulse rate and temperature. You can request to be ‘blind weighed’ by the GP, which is where only your GP sees the weight measurement. Your GP may also ask to do regular blood tests, heart monitoring or urinalysis.
It's important to continue seeing your GP regularly and keep them updated on any eating-disorder-related thoughts or behaviours.
If you have an active eating disorder and are engaging with other supports or services, you should continue to see your GP regularly.
Continue to schedule regular appointments with your GP.
If you feel that your usual GP isn’t appropriate (e.g. insufficient training in eating disorders, unable to schedule regular appointments), or you don’t have a usual GP, you can search for one using one of the following online databases of trained health professionals:
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia, their diversity, histories and knowledge and their continuing connections to land, waterways and culture. We pay our respect to all Australian Indigenous Peoples and their cultures, and to Elders of past, present and future generations.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia, their diversity, histories and knowledge and their continuing connections to land, waterways and culture. We pay our respect to all Australian Indigenous Peoples and their cultures, and to Elders of past, present and future generations.
Brisbane North PHN wishes to acknowledge the experience and expertise of the My Mental Health Steering Committee, delegates of the Peer Participation in Mental Health Services (PPIMS) network and health professionals in developing the My Mental Health Website.
