AN eating disorders service in Oldham is urging young people to reach out following the sudden death of Big Brother star Nikki Grahame.

Grahame who rose to fame following a stint as a contestant on the Channel 4 show in 2006, died on Friday, April 9 aged 38.

She had been receiving treatment for an eating disorder at a specialist clinic in Dorset following a fundraising campaign via a GoFundMe page by friends and fans.

The page has now been reopened, with money going towards her funeral costs and a charity helping people suffering from eating disorders.

Sue Grahame, her mother, appeared on This Morning last month and said her daughter’s condition deteriorated after gyms closed during the pandemic.

The clinical lead for Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust’s north community eating disorders service, Vicky Brown, has now stressed the importance of young people coming forward for help early amid rising referrals over the pandemic.

She said: “Since the start of the covid pandemic we have seen an increase in referrals which is largely due to the impact of covid on young people’s mental health. It’s important that young people reach out when they need help so they receive the right care quickly.”

The trust’s community eating disorders service launched in 2016 and has continued to operate during the pandemic, providing therapy face-to-face as well as online or by phone.

The service offers specialist support and advice, including early assessment and an individual tailored treatment plan. Children, young people and their families can self-refer to the service or be referred by a healthcare professional, such as a GP.

In February, NHS England data revealed that 149 children aged under 19 started treatment for routine cases of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorders, at Pennine Care NHS Trust last year.

That was up from 124 in 2019 and the highest number since comparable records began in 2017, when 35 patients were seen.

NHS targets say 95 per cent of patients should begin urgent treatment within one week of referral in 2020-21, and the same proportion of routine cases should begin within four weeks.

At the Pennine Care Trust, six young people waited more than four weeks to begin routine treatment, which means 96 per cent received help within the timeframe and no patients waited more than a week to start urgent treatment last year.

More information on services offered in Oldham can be found at: https://healthyyoungmindspennine.nhs.uk/eatingdisorders/