The mother of a 15-year-old girl who lives with an eating disorder is calling for a re-think of treatment options at Perth Children’s Hospital.

Sam has been in and out of the states flagship children’s hospital after being treated for anorexia.

Her mother Jane told Liam Bartlett the physical damage done to her daughter’s body was treated, but that is only half the battle.

“We had no choice but to take her to hospital, because if I keep her at home she will die,” she said.

“But it is a horrible place for her to be, because mentally it doesn’t make her feel any better about herself.

“Seeing a doctor for five minutes a day, and maybe seeing the psychiatrist for 15 to 20 minutes once every two or three weeks is not really going to make her any better.”

She claims there is a lack of mental health support at the hospital and limited options elsewhere.

“I would pay for her to get treatment, but there isn’t anywhere for me to take her as an in-patient as a child as a private patient in WA,” Jane said.

“She is getting fed which is good, but it is not actually solving the problem, it’s just putting a Band-Aid on it.”

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6PR listener Katie, who has recovered from an eating disorder herself, said mental health support is crucial in the recovery process.

“It’s not good enough to just tube feed someone and let them go and have no support whatsoever,” she said.

“You need that support network of a few different people.”

Press PLAY to hear her advocate for more support services