The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland – the Scottish body for third sector organisations – has chosen us as one of their Self-Management projects this year. This means we’ll be delivering a programme to support people with Crohn’s and Colitis to take an active role in their care. This will be delivered in partnership with The Scottish Government Modernising Patient Pathways Programme, people living with the conditions, and IBD Teams in two NHS Scotland hospitals.
There’s currently no consistent approach for Scottish IBD services to support people with Crohn’s and Colitis to self-manage their condition. When self-management is done well, it includes good quality support and information given at the right time. As well as emotional and psychological support with a focus on what’s important to the person. This 2-year project will allow us to understand what people living with Crohn’s and Colitis need, while making sure that healthcare professionals can support them.
People living with Crohn’s and Colitis will be directly involved in the development of the programme. To start off, they’ll be looking at what resources are currently available to support self-management. This will help them identify what additional resources may be required and what extra education and support they need. We’ll bring this all together with our project partners to deliver a structured Supported Self-Management Programme. It’s important this is done in the right way, at the right time, for people living with Crohn’s and Colitis.
This approach to care will be tested, working with IBD Teams in two hospitals. The intention is for this to become embedded into everyday practice and interaction and scaled up to IBD services across Scotland.
One of the major aspects of my ongoing journey living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) has been the importance of self-management in helping me cope with the varying challenges that IBD can bring. I’m confident that for others too, a structured self-management programme will enable and empower them to understand and self-manage their IBD. As well as giving them a link to their own personal healthcare teams.
Edmund Murray
Living with Colitis, and who supported our application
This is an exciting and ambitious project where we can take forward the Personalised Care recommendations from the Crohn’s and Colitis Care in the UK report and put them into action. It also builds on our work in partnership with The Scottish Government.
I’m looking forward to working with our partners to focus on what matters to people living with Crohn’s and Colitis and delivering real change in the approach to care
Elaine Steven
Policy Lead, Scotland and Northern Ireland at Crohn's & Colitis UK
Funding for this project has been provided by the Self-Management Fund for Scotland, administered on behalf of the Scottish Government by the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) with support from the William Grant Foundation.
Find out more about the Self-Management Fund.
