Study finds virtual treatment can benefit eating disorder patients

Research from Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust found that virtual treatment for people with severe eating disorders can help prevent inpatient admissions and support recovery after hospital.

An evaluation of the Step Care virtual service for adults with severe eating disorders, published in the Journal of Eating Disorders on 14 February 2026, showed high levels of engagement and completion, including among people who had been unwell for a long time.

The service was created in response to challenges facing eating disorder patients, such as fragmented transitions between services, repeated hospital admissions, and limited access to intensive day treatment.

Sharon Ryan, nurse lead within the Step Care service at Oxford Health, said: “The weeks after leaving hospital are often the most fragile.

“Step Care provides consistent multi-disciplinary support at that point, helping people maintain their recovery with support to feel safe and confident out of hospital.

“I’m incredibly proud of what the team has achieved so far, and excited about how this model can continue to shape the future of eating disorder care beyond hospital.”

Step Care offers structured support through three pathways, including ‘Starting Well’, for people at risk of needing hospital care, with the aim of avoiding an admission.

The online service, developed by the HOPE Provider Collaborative, brings together a multidisciplinary team, including professionals from psychology, nursing, dietetics and art therapy.

Between June 2023 and June 2024, 124 patients were referred in the study, with 66 adults being treated.

The results show that 77% of patients were discharged to community care with only one unplanned admission.

People supported through the Starting Well pathway showed improvements in body mass index, eating disorder symptoms, psychosocial impairment and mood, with most patients able to avoid hospital admission.

Agnes Ayton, clinical lead for the HOPE Provider Collaborative, said: “Step Care was designed to bridge the gap between inpatient and community services.

“The findings show that intensive, evidence‑based treatment can be delivered safely online, providing continuity of care at a time when people are most vulnerable.

“What is particularly encouraging is the level of engagement and the positive outcomes, even for people who have been unwell for many years.

“Most people were able to avoid unplanned hospital admissions and successfully step down into community care.”

The service also includes the ‘Staying Well’ pathway offering post-discharge consolidation, supporting people as they leave inpatient services, and the ‘Working towards Recovery’ pathway for people who have started to restore weight and are working towards longer-term recovery.

Oxford Health says that this is the first prospective study to look at a fully virtual, intensive treatment service, using multi-disciplinary, integrated enhanced cognitive behaviour therapy.

Meanwhile, in January 2026 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence conditionally recommended an online therapy programme to help people with eating disorders while they wait for specialist NHS treatment.