In Hertfordshire and across the UK, a growing crisis in children’s health is coming to light—one that’s both deeply personal and urgently systemic. Families are grappling with soaring rates of eating disorders and chronic constipation among young people, often facing agonizing waits for support, unclear diagnoses, and a healthcare system struggling to keep pace with demand. But as of September 2025, new pilot programs and impassioned advocacy are aiming to change the landscape for thousands of children and their carers.
On September 4, 2025, a pioneering NHS-aligned pilot launched in Hertfordshire, with the town of Hitchin at its heart. According to Nub News, this initiative is designed to deliver earlier, more personalized support for young people aged 12 to 18 with eating disorders—a group that’s seen an alarming spike in hospital admissions in recent years. The numbers are stark: hospitalizations for girls aged 11 to 15 with eating disorders have soared by 514% over the past decade, while admissions for boys and young men have risen by 128% between 2015 and 2021. Yet, in 2023, fewer than half of those referred to specialist services were able to access treatment.
The new pilot is a collaboration between digital health company Univa and national charity First Steps ED, and it’s embedded directly into primary care—the first port of call for most families. Backed by six Primary Care Networks, including Hitchin and Whitwell PCN, the program offers two distinct pathways for families: a digital-first care model, providing app-based support with evidence-based modules, daily and weekly check-ins, and progress tracking; and a blended care option, combining digital resources with up to 10 structured clinical sessions from First Steps ED and secure messaging with the support team.
Dr. Alison Cowan, GP Clinical Lead for Hertfordshire's Children & Young People's Mental Health System, sees the potential for real change. “As GPs, we are seeing growing numbers of young people presenting with eating difficulties and the strain this places on families. New models of early intervention such as this which can reach patients sooner, at scale, and in ways that fit around their lives would be a very valuable addition to Hertfordshire eating disorder support,” she told Nub News.
At the center of the scheme is the Univa Care Platform—the first digital program in NHS eating disorder services to support both young people and their carers simultaneously. Rich Andrews, CEO and Co-Founder of Univa, explained, “Primary care is where families turn first, but it has never had a scalable solution for eating disorders. The Univa Care Platform changes that. By giving both young people and carers their own tailored pathways, we are creating a model that is personal, immediate and proven.”
Daniel Magson, CEO of First Steps ED, echoed the importance of early intervention. “For too long families have faced the agony of waiting for support, knowing every week matters. Eating disorders are often treatable conditions and people can make a full recovery, but early intervention is crucial. By partnering with Univa, we are bringing innovation directly into the community.”
The one-year pilot aligns with the NHS Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan, which emphasizes prevention, digital innovation, and moving more care into the community. If successful, this approach could become a blueprint for a new national model of eating disorder care—one that gives families in Hitchin and beyond a fighting chance at early, effective help.
But eating disorders are not the only pediatric health issue reaching a breaking point. According to BBC News, the number of children aged up to 16 admitted to English hospitals with constipation and related symptoms hit a 10-year high in 2023-24, with more than 44,000 admissions. Charities estimate that about 1.5 million children in the UK suffer from constipation, and as the new school year began in September 2025, helpline calls from worried parents spiked dramatically.
Elissa Novak, a mother from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, knows the crisis all too well. Her son Ivan, now five, was once so severely constipated that he was vomiting, losing weight, and in constant pain. At its worst, a doctor estimated that 2kg of his 10kg body weight was stool. Ivan was admitted to hospital 25 times in just six months during 2022, often spending up to 12 hours in A&E at a stretch. “He was so frail he couldn't lift himself up or do anything. He was in pain all the time and either screaming or just lying there because he was too weak,” Elissa recalled in her interview with BBC News.
Complicating matters, Ivan has two genetic syndromes affecting his cognitive function, which contributed to the delayed recognition of his pain and symptoms. “It was seen as 'that's just what disabled children are like'. We did actually have one consultant who said 'disabled children just scream',” Elissa shared. Without a dedicated bladder or bowel community service in Warwickshire at the time, the family was left to rely on emergency care until a crisis forced a diagnosis. Ivan’s colon was so impacted it pushed into his lung cavity, compromising his lungs. “His stomach was squashed. All of his organs were being pushed out of the way,” Elissa said.
Now, Ivan is managed at home with laxatives and daily bowel washouts—a “huge part of his life and a huge part of his day,” according to his mother. Elissa is now campaigning for improved bladder and bowel care services nationwide. “People are falling through the cracks,” she said.
Holly Brennan, from Clevedon, Bristol, told the BBC her daughter Ayda endured three years of chronic constipation. Despite multiple GP visits and repeated prescriptions for laxatives, Holly received little guidance and no referral to specialist continence services. “It was three years of hell. She very much didn't grow out of it,” she said. The family’s life revolved around the toilet, with Ayda sometimes going a week without a bowel movement due to the pain she associated with it. It was only after discovering the charity Eric that Holly found the support she needed. Ayda is now off laxatives and able to control her bowels. “I'm very proud of her and how she's coped. She's taken it all in her stride,” Holly said.
Experts agree that the absence of dedicated children’s continence services is a major factor in these crises. Davina Richardson, a children’s specialist nurse with the charity Bladder and Bowel UK, told BBC News, “It’s a huge problem and many healthcare professionals don’t consider it a serious issue in children.” Brenda Cheer, a paediatric specialist continence nurse with the children’s bowel and bladder charity Eric, added, “There's huge disparity of those services. Where is the parent supposed to go? How are they supposed to get the help they need?”
The Department of Health and Social Care has acknowledged the issue, stating, “As part of our 10-year health plan, neighbourhood health services will bring together teams of professionals closer to people's home to provide comprehensive community care. We will also strengthen health visiting services so all families have access to high-quality, personalised support.”
Yet, as Jodie Gosling, MP for Nuneaton and chair of the all-party parliamentary group for bladder and bowel continence care, pointed out, children’s continence care “has been a silent casualty of chronic underfunding and reactive healthcare.” She warns that this has resulted in a “postcode lottery, where even high-need areas fail to address issues like constipation adequately.”
As families in Hertfordshire embrace new digital tools for eating disorder support and campaigners push for equitable continence care, the message is clear: early, accessible intervention is not just a hope, but a necessity. For children like Ivan and Ayda—and the thousands more like them—the difference between crisis and recovery may come down to how swiftly and compassionately the system responds.
