Improving Health Outcomes for People with an Eating Disorder or Body Image Issue: Butterfly Attains National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health (NSQDMH) Standards Accreditation

Butterfly Foundation, the national charity for all people in Australia affected by eating disorders and body image concerns, has received government accreditation to the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health (NSQDMH) Standards, with the auditor recognising Butterfly’s exemplar practice in engaging and partnering with people with lived experience. 

Digital mental health services are independently assessed during a rigorous process to meet the necessary safety and quality requirements for NSQDMH Standards Accreditation.   

Butterfly’s digital mental health services have seen a significant increase in demand, including a 145% increase in Helpline contacts over the past 6 years. In 2018, the ED HOPE National Helpline hours were extended to 7 days a week/8am-midnight (AEDT/AEST) to better support the community.   

Butterfly’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Jim Hungerford, said “One of Butterfly’s key priorities is to maintain and improve the quality of our digital mental health services across phone, webchat and email, to ensure anyone contacting our services for support with an eating disorder or body image concerns has the best possible experience.” 

“We are thrilled that Butterfly is the first eating disorder organisation in Australia to receive accreditation to the Standards and one of only 11 mental health organisations across Australia who have received formal accreditation thus far.”  

Butterfly’s accreditation to the NSQDMH Standards follows an extensive independent assessment by IHCA, which analysed Butterfly’s compliance against 59 actions across three areas, including The Clinical and Technical Governance Standard, The Partnering with Consumers Standard and The Model of Care Standard.   

Butterfly met or exceeded all requirements for providing a person-centered digital mental health system, as well as clinical and technical governance, safety and quality systems, workforce qualifications and skills, and a safe environment (including privacy, transparency, cybersecurity and stability of digital systems), required to maintain and improve the reliability, safety and quality of digital mental health care, and improve health outcomes for service users.   

Butterfly’s Digital Mental Health Services, including the National Helpline, Referral Database, and available online resources were independently assessed and deemed to meet the necessary safety and quality requirements to be accredited for compliance.   

To view the register of NSQDMH accredited services, visit: https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/national-safety-and-quality-digital-mental-health-standards/accreditation-national-safety-and-quality-digital-mental-health-standards#what-accreditation-to-the-nsqdmh-standards-means   

-ENDS-   

Media Contact:  

Harriet Potter, Communications Manager  

Harriet.potter@butterfly.org.au

0451837044  

Editor and producers note:   

Please include the following support line details in all media coverage of this story and refer to the Mindframe Media guidelines for safe reporting on eating disorders. Please include the following helpline message.  

Help and Support  

Anyone needing support with eating disorders or body image issues is encouraged to contact:  

• Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 33 4673 (1800 ED HOPE) or support@butterfly.org.au    
• Eating Disorders Victoria Helpline on 1300 550 23  
• For urgent support call Lifeline 13 11 14