Supported by the Welsh Government and the NHS Wales Health Collaborative, this exciting work programme brings together healthcare professionals, people living with Crohn’s and Colitis, and policymakers with us here at Crohn's & Colitis UK. The programme is focused on improving diagnosis, ensuring there are enough specialists in IBD services and providing targeted support to help people to feel more confident to manage and live well with their condition.
During Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Week, these groups came together to have their say and input to the future of Crohn's and Colitis care in Wales.
Professor Chris Jones, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Wales said:
‘I am really pleased to be able to highlight the work we are doing in Wales to improve Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) services. IBD conditions affect large numbers of people in Wales, and we want to ensure they receive the care they need, when they need it, and for them to be given the right support to manage their own condition. I am grateful to Dr Barney Hawthorne for leading this work and to all the patients and health care professionals who are participating, and of course to Crohn’s & Colitis UK.’
Dr Barney Hawthorne, Consultant Gastroenterologist and National Clinical Lead for IBD in Wales said:
‘I am delighted to be leading this work in Wales and grateful to Crohn’s & Colitis UK for placing a focus on it during Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week. It is truly a collaborative effort, bringing together patients, health care professionals, managerial and government leads and the charitable sector. Working together we hope to make a real difference to people with Crohn's and Colitis.”
Steve, who lives with Crohn's, and is from West Wales said:
‘As someone who has lived with IBD for a number of years, I was really pleased to be invited recently to join a working group which has been asked to make recommendations on self-management to the main all-Wales IBD programme. Being able to manage my own condition, to look after myself and get on with my life, is very important to me. Having access to information about my condition is crucial but so is being able to speak to someone about my specific circumstances, and generally being involved in decisions about my own care, both in the short and longer term. I look forward to seeing what comes out of this work’.
Amanda, who lives with Colitis, and is also from West Wales added:
‘I agree that self-management is key for people with IBD conditions. Not only that, the more successful we can be in managing our own condition the better this will be for patients and the NHS as a whole. If we can avoid having to go into hospital by working with our health care professionals on a personalised approach to our care, that would be a big step forward.’
