AQW 17419/22-27

Mr Danny Donnelly
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 25/10/2024
Answered On Date: 11/11/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health how he will ensure that inflammatory bowel disease services are appropriately resourced and staffed.

Answer:

(i) Crohns and (ii) Ulcerative Colitis are forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) which is managed mostly under the specialty of Gastroenterology but patients may also be referred into General Medicine or General Surgery.

Diagnosis of IBD is led by secondary care and supported by primary care pathways and the provision of laboratory tests specifically Calprotectin testing. In recent years these patient pathways and laboratory tests have enabled clinicians to prioritise outpatient referrals for IBD and better manage patients who are already undergoing treatment for IBD. Dietitians also play a vital role in managing conditions such as Coeliac and IBS thereby allowing patients with suspected IBD to attend consultant led outpatients for a diagnosis. Once diagnosed, patients are cared for by specialists including clinicians and IBD nurses in each Trust area. A number of Trusts have appointed pharmacy support for IBD patients who attend in their ED. There is also a regional IBD interest group which shares good practice and learning across the region.

The Department of Health in recent years has increased funding on an annual basis to ensure that all IBD patients, assessed as benefiting from NICE approved biologic technologies, receive treatment regardless of where they live. Funding has recently been approved for additional staffing to meet the ongoing demand for biological therapies. Patients across NI are able to access these medicines in a timely manner following diagnosis and treatment as prescribed on a regular basis. IBD nurses provide dedicated patient support.