Preet Kaur Gill, MP for Edgbaston, and I need your help to make sure #DumpTheScales stays on the Government’s Agenda 

Apologises for a long update but we need to take action fast!

Last month we saw a shake-up in Government and the announcement of Nadine Dorries as the new Minister for Mental Health.
 
I emailed the new Minister, as well as Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State and despite all the progress we made with eating disorders just weeks before the shake-up I am still yet to hear back.
 
With recess coming to end shortly we need to make sure that eating disorders are not dropped off the Government’s agenda. This is where I really need your help.
 
Please take action today and do two things for the campaign and for those affected by eating disorders:
 
1.    Copy and Paste this letter and send it to Nadine Dorries at psmsp@dhsc.gov.uk (please feel free to personalise)
 
Dear Nadine Dorries,

I am writing in support of the #DumpTheScales campaign led by Author and Mental Health Campaigner Hope Virgo, and I hope you are able to support the campaign too.

The aim of the campaign is to end the injustices that people with eating disorders face, so everyone can get support they need.

The #DumpTheScales campaign is not asking for money. Rather, it is simply asking for better communications, sufficient staff training and a focus from senior leadership that will ensure that access to eating disorder treatment does not depend on a person’s weight. It is asking for the creation of a system that does not force a person to lose a certain amount of weight just so they can access treatment.

The creation of this system is not a luxury but an absolute necessity.

There are over 1.6million people in the UK that have an Eating Disorder. This is not an issue that will go away, but with effective preventative strategies that stop people from getting to crisis point, we have the opportunity to save lives, and to save the NHS money.
 
I am urging you to revisit this issue that Hope has raised and get behind the process of reviewing the work, the guidance and the training delivered as a matter of urgency.

Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses with high mortality rates and we need to see this change implemented before even more people lose their lives to the illness.  
 
Yours Sincerely

 
[Insert Your Name]
 
 
2.    Copy and Paste this letter and sent it to your local MP (feel free to personalise it too)
 
Dear [Insert Local MP]

I am writing in support of the #DumpTheScales campaign led by Author and Mental Health Campaigner Hope Virgo, and I hope you are able to support the campaign too.

The aim of the campaign is to end the injustices that people with eating disorders face, so everyone can get support they need.
Currently sufferers of eating disorders are being turned away from treatment as a result of their BMI not being low enough. This is not acceptable.

Sufferers should be judged on their mental state, not their physical weight.

The #DumpTheScales campaign is not asking for money. Rather, it is simply asking for better communications, sufficient staff training and a focus from senior leadership that will ensure that access to eating disorder treatment does not depend on a person’s weight. It is asking for the creation of a system that does not force a person to lose a certain amount of weight just so they can access treatment.

The creation of this system is not a luxury but an absolute necessity.

There are over 1.6million people in the UK that have an Eating Disorder.

This is not an issue that will go away, but with effective preventative strategies that stop people from getting to crisis point, we have the opportunity to save lives, and to save the NHS money.

There are two key ways you can get involved
1)         Tweet in support of the #DumpTheScales Campaign, with a link to the petition. Example tweet:  I’m supporting @HopeVirgo’s Campaign to #DumpTheScales. Anyone can have an eating disorder and it’s too simplistic to turn people away from support based on their BMI – please do sign: https://www.change.org/p/eating-disorders-are-not-just-about-weight-dumpthescales

2)         Write to Matt Hancock the Secretary of state (the below draft can be used as a template)

You can contact Hope to meet with her, to ask for more information on the campaign by emailing her at hopevirgo@hotmail.com
 
Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses and are currently not getting the treatment, commitment and support needed.
 
Many thanks
 
[Insert Name, and address]
 
 
Dear Matt Hancock,

I am writing to follow up on the recent letter that Jackie Doyle-Price sent to Hope Virgo regarding her campaign to #DumpTheScales.

The #DumpTheScales campaign is not asking for money. Rather, it is simply asking for better communications, sufficient staff training and a focus from senior leadership that will ensure that access to eating disorder treatment does not depend on a person’s weight.

It is asking for the creation of a system that does not force a person to lose a certain amount of weight just so they can access treatment.

The creation of this system is not a luxury but an absolute necessity.
There are over 1.6million people in the UK that have an Eating Disorder. This is not an issue that will go away, but with effective preventative strategies that stop people from getting to crisis point, we have the opportunity to save lives, and to save the NHS money.
 
I am urging you to revisit this issue that Hope has raised and behind the process of reviewing the work, the guidance and the training delivered as a matter of urgency.
 
I would also be grateful if you could advise on when you plan to meet with Hope Virgo to discuss how you can work together to ensure that all Mental Health Trusts and NHSE are working in support of the campaign.  
 
Yours Sincerely