Patients & Healthcare Professionals join forces to drive up standards of IBD care across Wales

BD Cymru - made up of health care professionals and patients - will champion improvements to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) services across Wales. Previous clinical audits of IBD services have identified variable levels of care and support across the country. 

People with IBD surveyed about their experience of care in 2015 reported that 42% did not have access to an IBD nurse, over half had to wait more than 24 hours for advice from a healthcare professional when experiencing a flare up and nearly a quarter were not satisfied with the advice they received.

Clinicians working in Wales surveyed more recently (2017) also identified a number of areas for service development, such as improving rapid access to specialist clinics and IBD nursing support, improving diagnosis and management of IBD in primary care and increasing access to psychological support.

Informed by patient and clinical experience and working with both local and national policy makers, the Group will focus its energy in a number of areas over the next 12 months, including:

• improving the early identification, referral and management of IBD in primary care
• improving paediatric services
• redefining and refocusing the role of specialist IBD nurses
• improving patient education & support and ability to self-manage
• improving access to elective surgery  

The Group’s membership is made up of leading gastroenterologists, colorectal surgeons, clinical nurse specialists, dietitians and patients.

If you are a clinician working in Wales and would like to kept up to date about the work of the IBD Cymru please email ppr@crohnsandcolitis.org.uk 

If you are affected by IBD and would like to follow or promote the work of IBD Cymru please use the hashtag #IBDWales