New Standards require improved access
to pharmacists for IBD patients
Fewer than 50% of hospitals had a named pharmacist as part of their
multidisciplinary team, as required by revised IBD Standards, and only 9% of
IBD teams had a specialist pharmacist attending.
EMBARGOED until 00:01, 30th October 2013. St Albans, Herts. Fewer than 50% of hospitals had a
named pharmacist as part of their multidisciplinary IBD team, as required by the ‘Standards for the
Healthcare of People who have Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)’, and only 9% of IBD teams had a
specialist pharmacist attending. These Standards, launched today, have been produced by a
coalition of influential patient and professional organisations.
Developed by Crohn’s and Colitis UK, the British Society of Gastroenterology, Primary Care Society of
Gastroenterology, UK Clinical Pharmacy Association, the Royal College of Nursing Gastrointestinal
Nursing Forum and other leading organisations, and endorsed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society,
the IBD Standards seek to inform NHS Managers and commissioning organisations of the six
essential components of a quality IBD service – high quality care, locally delivered care, a patientcentred service, patient education and support, IT and Audit and evidence- based practice and
research.
The IBD Standards mandate core aspects of good quality care including dedicated gastrointestinal
wards, multidisciplinary team working, shared care arrangements between primary and secondary
care and key assessment and monitoring practices and essential aspects of clinical research and
audit required.
Although standards of care have risen significantly for children and adults since the UK IBD Audit’s
first examination of IBD services and care in 2006, which identified unacceptable variation, the most
recent Audit round in 2010 benchmarked hospital adherence to the IBD Standards for the first time.
It found that fewer than 50% of participating hospitals had a named pharmacist as part of their
multidisciplinary team and only 9% of IBD teams had a specialist pharmacist attending.
IBD Standards Group Chair and Crohn’s and Colitis UK Chief Executive David Barker said today: “A
person experiencing a flare up deserves the best care possible in the shortest time, but rapid access
to specialist care and shared care arrangements are two of the essential elements of IBD care that
require further improvement.
I am hopeful that the revised edition of the Standards will renew the focus of clinicians and GPs on
providing a joined-up, high quality service with rapid access to specialist care for all those in the UK
with IBD.”
Anja St.Clair Jones, Specialist Pharmacist and member of the IBD Standards Group representing the
UK Clinical Pharmacy Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society said: “The revised UK IBD
standards reinforce the position of the specialist pharmacist at the core of the adult and paediatric
multidisciplinary IBD team.
The new document highlights the high clinical and pharmacoeconomic value
of specialist pharmacist involvement in the management of complex and
emerging therapies. It also requires that all IBD inpatients have access to a
specialist pharmacist for advice and medication counselling and defines the
support structure needed for pharmacists involved in IBD clinics particularly when
practising as independent prescribers.
I hope these Standards, which are fully supported by the UK Clinical Pharmacy Association and the
Royal Pharmaceutical Society, can improve the position of the pharmacist as a core member of the
IBD team.
In order to address these issues, and further improve care quality, the IBD Standards Group has
revised the 2009 document, to take account of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 reforms, the
recent developments in health policy in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, IBD Audit findings
and NICE’s work to develop Clinical Guidelines for Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
The revised Standards will be launched at an event in the House of Lords on 30th October, ahead of
NICE’s work on the development of an IBD Quality Standard in January 2014.
NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information, photos or case studies, please contact Sarah Rogers or Emily Dean at the
Crohn’s and Colitis UK Press Office on 01428 607627 or email media@crohnsandcolitis.org.uk or
emily@healthcare-pr.co.uk
Notes to Editors –
The UK IBD Standards Group comprises –
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Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland
British Dietetic Association Gastroenterology Specialist Group
British Society of Gastroenterology
British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Crohn’s and Colitis UK
Primary Care Society of Gastroenterology
Royal College of Nursing Gastrointestinal Nursing Forum
Royal College of Physicians
Royal Pharmaceutical Society
UK Clinical Pharmacy Association Gastroenterology Interest Group
Supporting Organisations
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British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
British Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology
CICRA – Crohn’s in Childhood Research Association
IA – The ileostomy and internal pouch Support Group
Royal College of GPs
Royal College of Pathologists