The family of a 26-year-old woman with anorexia nervosa has described plans for her discharge from hospital as akin to a death sentence, as they urgently seek specialist private care.
Critical Condition After Collapse
Caitlin Mackay remains in critical condition at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, Scotland, after collapsing during a medical appointment at the Eating Disorder Services last week. She has been battling anorexia for a decade and was first diagnosed in 2020. Staff have been feeding her through a nasogastric tube, and medical monitoring has revealed visible heart damage resulting from years of starvation.
Despite the severity of her condition, the family faces the prospect of her being discharged early next week. Her older sister, Hollie, 28, described the terrifying moment Caitlin's health deteriorated as staff attempted to take blood samples. 'Her heart rate went down, her sugars were down, everything was just plummeting,' she said.
Family's Anger and Fear
Hollie expressed her anger at the situation: 'It is ridiculous that they can see her in this state and still choose to discharge her for "not engaging" when it is actually their job to help her engage in the first place.' She likened the current plan to 'throwing someone out to sea or into the water and telling them to just swim, but they can't swim.'
Caitlin has previously been discharged from eating disorder services in February due to a perceived lack of engagement with the service. The family, including parents Mandy and Dougie, believes that sending Caitlin home without intensive inpatient support is equivalent to a death sentence.
Urgent Fundraising for Specialist Care
The family launched a GoFundMe campaign to secure private specialist treatment, fearing that the healthcare system has reached its limit. The initial target was set at £8,000, but long-term care could cost between £20,000 and £100,000. The community response has been swift, with donations already exceeding £6,000.
According to Hollie, Caitlin is fully aware of the gravity of her physical state and is 'absolutely terrified' of the impending discharge. 'She knows that she needs help. She knows that if she goes home, she's going home to die. That's how serious it is, and they know this because she's told them,' Hollie added.
Comfort and Support
Caitlin has found some comfort in visits from her French bulldog, Harvey, but the family remains focused on the urgent need for a transfer to specialist care. The fundraiser aims to secure a place in a private specialist facility where professionals can manage the complex mental and physical aspects of the illness, which Hollie describes as an 'addiction for control.'
Hollie is urging the public to support the appeal: 'Any donation, no matter how small, will go directly towards her treatment and care. If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser would mean just as much to us. We're basically fundraising to save her life.'
NHS Highland stated that it cannot comment publicly on individual cases but is 'engaging directly with the family and committed to supporting them through what we know is an extremely difficult time.'
