Univa, a digital health company specializing in clinical innovation for eating disorders, has partnered with First Steps ED, a prominent UK eating disorder charity, to launch a pilot program aimed at providing faster and more personalized support for young people with early-stage eating disorders.
The primary care pilot will utilize the Univa Care Platform, the first digital program in NHS eating disorder services that offers support for both patients and their caregivers simultaneously. Families will have the option to choose between a digital-first intervention, which can be accessed immediately, or a blended care approach that combines the digital program with additional clinical sessions from First Steps ED.
The need for innovative solutions has become increasingly urgent as eating disorders continue to be one of the fastest-growing mental health conditions in the UK, with children and teenagers being the most affected. In the past decade, hospital admissions for girls aged 11-15 have increased by 514%, while in 2023, less than half of young people referred to specialist services were able to receive treatment. This rise is not limited to girls, as hospital admissions for boys and young men have also increased by 128% between 2015 and 2021. A 2024 review by the Royal College of Psychiatrists has highlighted the dire situation, stating that child and adolescent eating disorder services have consistently failed to meet NHS waiting time standards and are unable to keep up with the demand for treatment.
This pilot program has the potential to set a new standard for eating disorder care on a national level, combining digital innovation, family empowerment, and clinical efficiency to address one of the most pressing mental health challenges of our time.
Dr. Alison Cowan, GP Clinical Lead for Hertfordshire’s Children & Young Person’s Mental Health System and GP within the Hertfordshire CYP Eating Disorders Team, stated: “As GPs, we are seeing a growing number of young people with eating difficulties and the strain this places on families. New models of early intervention, such as this, that can reach patients sooner, on a larger scale, and in a way that fits into their lives, would be a valuable addition to the Hertfordshire eating disorders support. This pilot with Univa and First Steps ED is an exciting step forward, as digital interventions play a crucial role in primary care, allowing us to provide earlier, more accessible support and reduce the need for specialist services.”
Rich Andrews, CEO and Co-Founder of Univa, added: “Primary care is often the first point of contact for families, but it has never had a scalable solution for eating disorders. The Univa Care Platform changes that. By providing personalized pathways for both the young person and their caregiver, and by offering a choice between digital-first and blended support, we are creating a model that is personal, immediate, and proven.”
Daniel Magson, CEO of First Steps ED, stated: “For too long, families have had to endure the agony of waiting for support, knowing that every week matters. Eating disorders are treatable conditions, and people can make a full recovery from them, but early intervention is crucial. By partnering with Univa, we are bringing innovation directly into the community, empowering families to take control earlier.”
This one-year pilot, aligned with the NHS, will be integrated directly into primary care, the first point of contact for most families. This will allow GPs, local care teams, and schools to have access to a new digital model of early intervention. By shifting the support upstream, the pilot aims to not only improve outcomes and symptoms for young people but also reduce waiting times, prevent crises, and alleviate the strain on overburdened secondary care services. The program is supported by six NHS Primary Care Networks (PCNs) in Hertfordshire: Stort Valley and Villages, Hitchin and Whitwell, Harpenden Health, Abbey Health, Alban Healthcare, and HaLo St Albans PCNs.
The pilot is in line with the NHS Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan, which calls for a shift from hospital to community care, a digital-first NHS, and a prevention-driven model that intervenes early instead of late.
At the core of the pilot is the Univa Care Platform, a unique dual-care system that provides separate but connected digital care pathways for both the young person and their caregiver – a first in NHS eating disorder care. Families with a child aged 12-18 experiencing symptoms of anorexia or restrictive eating behaviors will have the option to choose between:
– Digital-first care: an app-based program that is instantly available for both the young person and their caregiver, featuring evidence-based modules, daily and weekly check-ins, and progress tracking. This highly scalable model offers immediate support to families who want to begin care without delay.
– Blended care: a combination of the digital program with personalized support from the First Steps ED clinical team, including secure messaging and up to 10 structured sessions. This approach provides families with more intensive and
