PRACTICE
Eating disorders clinician credential Carol Jewell, Acting National Manager, Professional Practice and Development Dr Gabriella Heruc, Credentialing Director, Australia and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders
O
ccupational therapists have a long-standing and pivotal role in supporting the recovery of people affected by eating disorders (Clark and Navar, 2012). About 16 per cent of Australian adults live with a diagnosed eating disorder (Hay et. al., 2015), and about a third (31.6 per cent) of Australian adolescents engage in disordered eating behaviours within any given year (Deloitte Access Economics, 2012; NEDC, 2019). With psychosocial stressors stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, these statistics are set to rise (Touyz and Hay, 2020). It is fitting that the recently developed Australia and New Zealand Academy of Eating Disorders (ANZAED) Clinical Practice and Training Standards and ANZAED Eating Disorder Credential have come at an opportune time to build workforce capacity to meet increased demand. Occupational therapists are invited to take part in the credentialing
program to get formal recognition of the expertise they bring to this area of practice. Applications for the ANZAED Eating Disorder Credential are free until 30 June 2022. The ANZAED eating disorder treatment principles and general clinical practice standards were developed through widespread consultation and engagement of key professional bodies (Heruc et. al., 2020). OTA is proud of its contribution to these standards, which are recommended for mental health clinicians and dietitians providing treatment for people experiencing eating disorders. Separate mental health practice and training standards have also been devised as a foundation for strengthening the workforce, and providing guidance to professional training programs and service providers on the minimal standards required for practice in the eating disorder field (Hurst et. al., 2020).
The credential’s purpose is two-fold: to help people with eating disorders locate the right treatment at the right time, increasing the chances of timely intervention and positive treatment outcomes; and enhance the effectiveness and consistency of treatment for eating disorders in Australia. 6 otaus.com.au
The ANZAED Eating Disorder Credential provides formal recognition of qualifications, training and professional development activities needed to meet minimum standards for delivery of safe and effective eating disorders treatment. The criteria for the credential are built on the NEDC Workforce Core Competencies and the ANZAED Clinical Practice and Training Standards, which prescribe the minimum knowledge, practical skills and experience required of mental health and dietetic professionals to successfully respond to, treat and manage eating disorders, and constitute a basis for content of professional development and training (NEDC, 2018; Heruc et. al., 2020; Hurst et. al., 2020). The credential’s purpose is two-fold: to help people experiencing eating disorders locate the right treatment at the right time, increasing the chances of timely intervention and positive treatment outcomes; and enhance the effectiveness and consistency of treatment for eating disorders in Australia. The credential is designed to support the treatment of individuals with eating disorders across all diagnostic presentations, from early intervention to complex and acute care in public and private settings. The credential is available to mental health professionals including counsellors, general practitioners, mental health nurses, nurse practitioners, occupational therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists,
