The Crohn’s & Colitis UK Nursing Programme meets our ambition to support IBD Nurses becoming ‘Crohn’s & Colitis UK Nurse Specialists’ and creating a community by bringing together clinical IBD teams and the charity.
Central to our charity’s strategy is our belief that all those living with Crohn’s & Colitis should have access to a suitably qualified IBD Nurse Specialist.
We currently have 37 Crohn’s & Colitis UK Nurse Specialists across the UK enrolled in our programme.
In 2022, Crohn’s & Colitis UK set out a three-year strategy to focus our priorities and to maximise our impact on the lives of people affected by Crohn’s and Colitis. One of the key aims of this strategy was supporting the invaluable work of IBD Nurse Specialists, with the Crohn’s & Colitis UK Nursing Programme playing a central role. Since starting the programme in 2019, the number of Crohn’s & Colitis UK Specialist Nurses has grown to 37, and we have been able to see the positive impact the programme has had on nurses and patient care.
Now that we are in 2025, the charity is in the process of developing a new strategy, in order to lay the groundwork for the next few years. While we undergo this important work, we have taken the decision to pause recruitment for both the MSc and RCN Credentialing pathways in 2025. In the meantime, we will continue to sponsor our existing cohort of Crohn’s & Colitis UK Specialist Nurses, and to support them through quarterly Community Days. This also provides us with the opportunity to evaluate any improvements we can make to the programme in the future, so we can have the best possible impact on the lives of IBD Nurses and people affected by Crohn’s and Colitis.
We thank you for your patience, and if you have any further questions, please get in touch at ibdnursing@crohnsandcolitis.org.uk.
Becoming a Crohn’s & Colitis UK Nurse Specialist is a unique opportunity to gain funding and support for your education and development.
All Crohn’s & Colitis UK Nurse Specialists come together for Community Days four times a year, which enables them to get to know others on the programme, building a community and network of support.
Our Crohn’s & Colitis UK Nursing Programme is open to IBD Nurses through two pathways:
For the MSc pathway, Crohn's & Colitis UK will fund up to £10,000, and we will provide peer support for nurses on the programme. For the credentialing pathway, we will cover the cost for you to credential with the RCN.
In order to join the Crohn’s & Colitis UK Nursing Programme, IBD Nurse Specialists will need to meet a clear person specification and application process.
Applications are now closed for 2024.
In order to understand the impact of the nursing programme, nurses were asked to complete a
question-based evaluation form. This incorporated questions from the ‘Foundation of Nursing Studies’
model of personal and professional impact evaluation to understand the impact on nurses of
participating in the programme, the impact on their own IBD service and on patient care.
We conducted in depth interviews with a smaller number of the programme nurses from both the MSc
and credentialling pathways. We used a modified version of the Kirkpatrick evaluation model to find
out more about their experiences and impact of their learning while on the programme
You can read about our findings in the following report: Crohn's & Colitis UK Nursing Programme Impact Report
Keep in touch with us a receive news, updates and opportunities to get involved for healthcare professionals.
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We know it can be difficult to live with, or support someone living with these conditions. But you’re not alone. We provide up-to-date, evidence-based information and can support you to live well with Crohn’s or Colitis.
Our helpline team can help by:
Providing information about Crohn’s and Colitis.
Listening and talking through your situation.
Helping you to find support from others in the Crohn’s and Colitis community.
Providing details of other specialist organisations.
Please be aware we’re not medically or legally trained. We cannot provide detailed financial or benefits advice or specialist emotional support.
Please contact us via telephone, email or LiveChat - 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (except English bank holidays).
If you need specific medical advice about your condition, your GP or IBD team will be best placed to help.
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