Link-ED - Peer Support
Unit 3
Northwest Business Park
Servia Hill
Leeds
LS6 2QH
For information on service eligibility and ways to access support, please visit the Link-ED website: Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust -Link-ED (leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk)
Link-ED is a part of the West Yorkshire Adult Eating Disorders ED Network, a tiered service providing support for people with eating disorders in Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield. Community Links works in partnership with Leeds and York Partnership Trust (LYPFT) to provide a peer support service to people living with an eating disorder.
With a person-centred approach, Link-ED works closely with Community Mental Health Teams, as well as teams in the Primary Care Network, to help and support clients living with disordered eating alongside a mental health diagnosis. Clients can receive support directly or indirectly through professionals.
Link-ED was formed to provide support to those who do not meet the criteria of existing eating disorder services to continue living in the community and receive early interventions. Early interventions have been shown to have the most positive impact and success on the road to recovery.
The service aims to educate on disordered eating, provide practical support and guidance and promote independence of clients in the community to reduce the hospital admissions.
Support includes one-one sessions with clients, intervention training for professionals and educational resources for family, friends and professionals on how best to support an individual with disordered eating.
Our Peer Support Workers use their own lived experience to support Link-ED clients through an empathetic, non-judgemental approach. Peer Support Workers use their personal experience of recovery to support clients to navigate the challenging road of recovery and inform family, friends and professionals of helpful/unhelpful ways to support their loved ones.
Peer Support Workers work with clients on a one-one basis, using tools to identify where they can make positive changes and how they can keep moving forward. Peer Support also provides a sense of understanding and reduces feelings of isolation often associated with an eating disorder.
The Connect Service is a Specialist Eating Disorder Service. The Link-ED team work with individuals with Disordered Eating alongside a primary Mental Health Diagnosis. Together the services offer a weekly virtual support group providing specialist eating disorder support to those who, for various reasons, do not meet their referral criterion but are in need of help. No formal eating disorder diagnosis is needed. You are welcome to come along and join; you can speak as much or as little as you choose, and you don’t have to share any personal data. The group runs weekly for 90 minutes online and offers a safe warm and supportive group environment.
Currently, referrals can be made by professionals to the Link-ED service via their email:
lmh-tr.link-ed@nhs.net