Professor Rael Strous leads training event at major London Hospital

“Food Fight: tackling the stigma of eating disorders,” was the title of a Level 3 annual Safeguarding Children training event covering key aspects and approaches to managing eating disorders. The evening training session at London’s St Pancras Hospital on 26 November 2019 was under the auspices of Mayanei Hayeshua’s Mental Health Centre, and was attended by education, healthcare and allied professionals, as well as survivors, their carers and families. Author Dr Sharon Raymond, a prominent independent safeguarding adults and children trainer, facilitated the event.

The keynote address was delivered by Professor Rael Strous, who described the expertise and experience of Mayanei Hayeshua’s Mental Health Centre in combatting the stigma that surrounds eating disorders. Professor Strous is Medical Director of the Mental Health Centre, Professor of Psychiatry at Tel Aviv University’s Faculty of Medicine, a member of Israel’s national committees on mental health and suicide prevention, chief editor of the Israel Journal of Psychiatry, and chair of the National Psychiatry Association Ethics Committee.

Other speakers at the training event included Diana H, a survivor; Dr Erica Cini, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist; Dr Lisa Racussen, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist; and Patricia Brown, educator and designated safeguarding lead. A panel discussion included contributions from therapists Devori Nussbaum and Thomas Brosnan.

The training event was a resounding success, and attracted over 100 attendees who also visited the hospital’s reception area that was decked out with Mayanei Hayeshua promotional posters and flyers. Several enquiries were received from medical personnel who asked to establish formal links with Mayanei Hayeshua’s Mental Health Centre, and who asked for more such training events in the future.