Abstract
Anorexia nervosa is a form of eating distress, with one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric disorder. There are many competing theories about the causal factors involved in its development and there is no clear consensus on effective treatments for adult sufferers. Community mental health team (CMHT) professionals are expected to provide psychological treatment and physical monitoring of people with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa but with a lack of knowledge about how best to be helpful, professionals may find this difficult. This study presents a qualitative exploration of how professionals understand and use their experiences, perceptions and expectations with adults with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa with a view to identify any factors that hinder or facilitate their work to inform future practice. Seven community psychiatric nurses (CPNs) and six chartered psychologists were interviewed and the data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 1996). A number of themes emerged with three main themes underpinning these: anxiety and risk, team work, and hope. The experiences described within these themes highlight the difficulties and factors that facilitate the work of the professionals with people with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa. It is suggested that teams could work more collaboratively to manage anxieties, alongside greater consideration of the support and supervisory needs of CPNs and of training for all professionals. Research focusing on the factors that facilitate this work would further inform practice in how best to support professionals and people with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa.