BSG endorsed by Neurogastroenterology & Motility, Clinical Services, and Small Bowel & Nutrition committees.
Referring patients with severe eating disorders to critical care to facilitate assisted nutrition under restraint: a framework to support decision making in life-threatening situations, provides a framework to care for people who are under the care of eating disorders/liaison psychiatry teams and who have been referred to critical care, following a multidisciplinary team decision, so that they can receive nutrition to sustain life.
It was developed in response to a growing number of requests from clinicians for advice on how to provide the best care for this patient cohort. Although professional guidance exists for providing assisted nutrition to patients experiencing eating disorders, it does not include comprehensive information for situations involving critical care.
The framework’s purpose is to support better understanding between the clinical teams involved, and to facilitate communication between psychiatry and critical care. We also envisage that in particularly complex situations, it will be of use to legal professionals.
The framework's lead author, Dr Monika Beatty, of the College of Intensive Care Medicine’s Legal and Ethical Policy Unit, which also comprises legal and specialist expertise, explains:
"These situations are very rare but can be extremely challenging. As a College, our members have asked us for resources to assist them with the complex ethical, medico-legal, and clinical aspects of managing these cases. It is essential that we care for our patients in the best way possible and a framework which provides key information and signposts relevant resources, will assist those involved, to make nuanced decisions and recommendations for the person’s overall benefit." - Dr Monika Beatty Chair, Legal & Ethical Policy Unit.
The framework, which benefits from patient and lay representative input, focuses on the challenges that can arise when an adult with life-threatening complications of an eating disorder is referred to critical care for assisted feeding, having been under the care of an eating disorders or liaison psychiatry team. It does not cover patients who need critical care for other indications such as trauma or sepsis.
The framework does not advocate for any particular course of treatment. It encourages the least restrictive option in every case and is clear that these interventions should never become a routine part of care.
Referring patients with severe eating disorders to critical care to facilitate assisted nutrition under restraint: a framework to support decision making in life-threatening situations, provides a framework to care for people who are under the care of eating disorders/liaison psychiatry teams and who have been referred to critical care, following a multidisciplinary team decision, so that they can receive nutrition to sustain life.
It was developed in response to a growing number of requests from clinicians for advice on how to provide the best care for this patient cohort. Although professional guidance exists for providing assisted nutrition to patients experiencing eating disorders, it does not include comprehensive information for situations involving critical care.
The framework’s purpose is to support better understanding between the clinical teams involved, and to facilitate communication between psychiatry and critical care. We also envisage that in particularly complex situations, it will be of use to legal professionals.
The framework's lead author, Dr Monika Beatty, of the College of Intensive Care Medicine’s Legal and Ethical Policy Unit, which also comprises legal and specialist expertise, explains:
"These situations are very rare but can be extremely challenging. As a College, our members have asked us for resources to assist them with the complex ethical, medico-legal, and clinical aspects of managing these cases. It is essential that we care for our patients in the best way possible and a framework which provides key information and signposts relevant resources, will assist those involved, to make nuanced decisions and recommendations for the person’s overall benefit." - Dr Monika Beatty Chair, Legal & Ethical Policy Unit.
The framework, which benefits from patient and lay representative input, focuses on the challenges that can arise when an adult with life-threatening complications of an eating disorder is referred to critical care for assisted feeding, having been under the care of an eating disorders or liaison psychiatry team. It does not cover patients who need critical care for other indications such as trauma or sepsis.
The framework does not advocate for any particular course of treatment. It encourages the least restrictive option in every case and is clear that these interventions should never become a routine part of care.
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Position Statements
Neurogastroenterology and Motility
Small Bowel and Nutrition
New framework to support critical care clinicians in the care of people with severe eating disorders in life threatening situations who are referred to critical care via mental health services
clinical-resource/Framework-life-threatening-eating-disorders
Guidelines
Small Bowel and Nutrition
The 2026 British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines on the diagnosis and management of adult coeliac disease
clinical-resource/BSG-Guidelines-Adult-Coeliac-Disease
This document outlines an updated guideline from the British Society of Gastroenterology, detailing the standards for diagnosing and managing adult coeliac disease (CD).