12.04.12
IBD care improvements needed
GPs want more information and education concerning patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), a new survey shows. Commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP), the findings suggested that IBD patients were encountered less frequently than some more common diseases, meaning greater information and training is needed.
Doctors reported that they want to ensure patients who suffer a relapse of symptoms are seen at a clinic within seven days of contact and that patients should be under the care of a hospital for the long-term follow up of their condition. At the moment, 76% of patients receive this care.
HQIP has recommended that the role of IBD specialist nurses should be promoted and awareness raised, educational events should be coordinated with primary and secondary care and that general practice research should be encouraged in IBD patients.
Dr Ian Arnott, consultant gastroenterologist,Western GeneralHospital, Edinburgh & clinical director for the UK IBD Audit, said: “This timely report shows for the first time significant issues in communication between primary and secondary care services for patient with IBD. The report also highlights a number of educational issues surrounding the long term follow up of patient with IBD. This report serves as a basis for commissioners and their secondary care colleagues to work together to establish seamless pathways in the patient journey ensuring the best quality management of IBD patients.”
Dr John O’Malley, secretary of the Primary Care Society for Gastroenterology, said:
“This audit highlights the need for better working together between primary and secondary care with better recognition and treatment of flare ups in IBD needed on the primary care side and better provision of ‘fast track’ access to hospital care. It also shows that a greater awareness of the potentially valuable role that IBD nurses could play in primary care is needed.”
Dr Kevin Stewart, clinical director of the RCP’s Clinical effectiveness and evaluation unit (Ceeu), said: “There have been many welcomed improvements in the care of IBD patients but we clearly have to now focus on improving coordination of services between GPs and the hospital. We know that GPs are incredibly busy and individual doctors may not see many IBD patients, so we have to ensure that when patients need specialist care there are easy ways for GPs to access this.”
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