IBD Action!

Tonight saw the second meeting of the IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) Patient Panel that is being set up in South Wales. It was another very positive meeting and I'm really excited about the work that lies ahead, it ain't going to be easy but with standards failing there is great scope for improvement, so our intervention now can only be a good thing.

For those who don't know much about IBD, two of the most common forms of this disease are Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis, the likelihood is that you probably know people. It is estimated that approximately 240,000 people have IBD in the UK, that's about 400 patients per 100,000 population. There is no cure to this disease; this is a lifetime condition that for some will always be there, while other will have an initial flare up and then nothing for years and years. They estimate that it costs the NHS about £720 million every year; this is mainly medication but also surgery and the time for consultants and nurses.

In 2009 the IBD Standards were created to set out service standards in the healthcare of people who have IBD. Every few years hospitals and NHS Trusts are audited against this and must show how they are meeting the standards. Some areas are still failing, so it's time for action!

If you live in South Wales and read this journal entry, I'd be interested in hearing from you and your experiences of IBD healthcare in South Wales. Just leave a comment or get in touch with me via Twitter @ValleyAllBlack.

In other news I went to see the osteopath again today, I'm looking forward to a significant improvement from this one and looking forward to returning to some exercise.