RCP continuing to improve IBD patient care after the conclusion of audit programme

The IBD Audit Programme has over the last 10 years observed many improvements in the care of people with IBD. Patients with IBD are now much better off than they were 10 years ago – there are now more specialist IBD nurses, pharmacists, dietitians seeing more people with IBD. Mortality in hospitals has halved. The provision and care of people receiving biological therapies has improved and we know that they are generally safe and effective – in particular, the new biosimilars that have come to the market in the last few years. However, many aspects of care still need to be improved. The IBD Audit Programme has demonstrated how widespread data collection has encouraged and driven improvements over time. The transition to the IBD UK Registry is the start of a new phase of ongoing data collection and reporting.

Over the last ten years the UK IBD audit has helped to significantly drive forward the quality of care and support for patients with Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis - but there is a mountain still to climb. The UK IBD Registry has already begun to make good inroads and will play a critical part in the coming months and years in ensuring continuous improvement in services whilst also playing an important role in support for research. We strongly urge hospital teams across the UK to ensure they are active partners in the Registry and together continue to build on the successes of the last ten years in order to support the growing numbers of patients we know there will be in the coming ten.