Heartbreaking observations of children with eating disorders having to be cared for by untrained staff in the South Eastern (SE) Trust have been revealed by its CEO.
The social effects of the Covid 19 lockdown have also been identified as a contributing factor in increased numbers of children presenting at hospital with self-harm wounds and signs of attempts to take their own lives.
Chief of the SE Trust, Rosin Coulter, a former nurse, told a special sitting of Newry, Mourne and Down Council (NMDDC) that she had witnessed first hand the situation and called on the local authority to lobby Stormont for essential life-saving executive action.
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"On the children's ward at the Ulster hospital, there were six children with an eating disorder," said Ms Coulter.
"I myself was a nurse, and they are not trained to care for such disorders.
"There was one child who was in the hospital for 100 days, they were so concerned for their safety.
"This has all been compounded by the pandemic.
"These children are so vulnerable that they need two to one carers."
