Eating disorder patients in South Australia have once again been promised a new treatment centre at the Repat site five years after the project was first announces. The state and federal governments have agreed to double funding for the five-bed centre, claiming the original budget was not enough.
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00:00Lauren Skews was 12 years old when she was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, but she didn't
00:08receive specialist treatment until she was 26.
00:11It's frustrating that there wasn't anything before that because I feel like really I lost
00:1814 years of my life.
00:21The Adelaide mother says there aren't enough beds for eating disorder patients in SA, despite
00:26the risk of death.
00:27I'm constantly frustrated by the lack of awareness still around eating disorders, the lack of
00:35support.
00:36In 2019, the Federal Government pledged $5 million for a dedicated eating disorder centre
00:42at the Repat site.
00:43Five years later, it's yet to be built.
00:46It's had a number of stumbling blocks.
00:48The stumbling blocks are around trying to get it right.
00:51It became clear that that funding commitment from the former government was pretty grossly
00:55inadequate.
00:56Almost three years after the change of government, the State and Federal Health Ministers have
01:01increased the budget to $10 million.
01:03An additional $2 million will come from the Breakthrough Foundation to build a five-bed
01:07treatment and research centre at Doar House.
01:10It's going to leave a lasting legacy and be a project that we can look back on and meet
01:15the needs, not just now but into the future as well.
01:18In a statement, Shadow Federal Health Minister Anne Ruston said she welcomed the extra investment,
01:24adding the project had bipartisan support and shouldn't be politicised.
01:28The build comes as demand for eating disorder beds continues to climb in SA.
01:33Last financial year, SA Health treated 606 eating disorder patients, an 11% jump from
01:39the previous year.
01:40Construction at the Repat site is expected to start next year and finish in 2026.