New resources for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals

Published: 06 February 2018

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Whether you are already an Inflammatory Bowel Disease Nurse Specialist or thinking about becoming one, we have the resources, tools, support and encouragement for you.

With clear advice and information – compiled and edited with specialist nurses – you can explore becoming an IBD Nurse Specialist, building an IBD team and use a national IBD nurse map, and nurses' hub to get connected with other professionals.

At least 300,000 people in the UK live with Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis - and the numbers affected are rising. Often diagnosed younger in age, these conditions are lifelong, relapsing and remitting and cost the NHS over £900 million per year. Lifetime medical costs associated with IBD care are comparable to diabetes or cancer.

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The availability of IBD nurse specialists across the UK is vital for people living with Crohn’s or Colitis to be able to access responsive health services and improved clinical outcome. They play a fundamental role in delivering high quality patient care and experience, lead patient centred service redesign, improve the quality of care and represent excellent value for money. I think this new resource will benefit so many healthcare professionals and help to improve the quality of care for all of those with IBD.

Although the number of IBD Nurse Specialists across the UK is increasing (only 2% of IBD Nursing teams meet the minimum number of nurses recommended in national quality standards and over 60% of IBD Nurse Specialists report a higher caseload than recommended levels), services are often suspended in the nurse’s absence, nurses are contributing significant unpaid overtime to meet demand, and patients are not receiving the high quality service that IBD Nurses can deliver.

Visit the new Healthcare professionals section