Crohn's & Colitis UK welcomes NICE quality standard on Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The Quality Standard sets out the services that should be provided to people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and how these should be delivered, with a focus on four priority areas: specialist assessment within 4 weeks of referral; age-appropriate support from a multidisciplinary team; surgery undertaken by a colorectal surgeon who is a core member of the IBD team and effective monitoring of drug treatment. The Quality Standard draws on the IBD Standards, which define good quality care for people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and were produced by patient and professional organisations, led by Crohn’s & Colitis UK in 2009.

David Barker, Chief Executive of Crohn’s & Colitis UK, explains:

“We know from the IBD Audit that, despite improvements in services over the past few years, people with Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are still experiencing unacceptable variation in quality and care. There are also big gaps in provision, for example, in all-important psychological and dietetic support. IBD specialist nurses play a fundamental role, yet the majority of services still don’t have enough to deliver the level of care required. Lack of coordination between primary and secondary care and support for self-management are also issues that urgently need addressing. Currently, services for people with Crohn’s and Colitis are often not prioritised when it comes to commissioning.”

“We therefore very much welcome this Quality Standard, which is informed and underpinned by our own IBD Standards that define in more detail what good quality care should look like. We hope this will lead to the significant improvements in service provision that are so clearly required for people with Crohn’s & Colitis."

The quality standard sets out a need for referral pathways to ensure that people with suspected inflammatory bowel disease have a specialist assessment within 4 weeks of referral by their GP (or sooner if necessary) and highlights the role of faecal biomarkers such as faecal calprotectin, alongside clinical assessment to aid prompt referral.

It also defines the composition of the IBD multidisciplinary team, to include gastroenterologists, colorectal surgeons, clinical nurse specialists, a dietitian, pharmacist, pathologist and radiologist, with access to essential supporting services with an interest in inflammatory bowel disease, including a psychologist or counsellor, rheumatologist, ophthalmologist, dermatologist, obstetrician, nutrition support team, paediatric gastroenterology clinical network and general practice.

Regular reviews and shared care arrangements with clear access routes to urgent care are also highlighted to ensure that treatments and care are effectively monitored and there is a requirement for colorectal surgeons to be a core member of the IBD multidisciplinary team to help ensure the best outcomes for patients.