Great IBD Family day in Cardiff yesterday. Thanks to Ieuan Davies and Crohn’s Colitis UK for organising. Challenging questions from families: what careers are closed to young IBD patients? Seems that the RAF won’t have Crohn’s patients train as pilots. Is this appropriate?

IBD nurses are central to safe monitoring of immunosupp drugs/biologics. Modelling of case load in UK (Leary/Crohn's Colitis UK) shows we need at least 2.5 WTE per 250,000. That's 450 in the UK. How do we make the case for more -about 300 now? #BSG2018

#BSG2018 How do we ensure our IBD nurses don't get burnt out. They have so many different roles?

#BSG2018 IBD nurses also need support. Many don't have admin support - better value for money if they do a lot of basic work that doesn't need a nurse- arranging appts, relaying blood results etc

#BSG2018 Patients really appreciate the IBD nurse support. Its really the continuity and personal support that is valuable.

#BSG2018 x.com/ABHawthorne/st…

#BSG2018 Other professional groups may also be able to support IBDnurses - pharmacist? Physician Associates? What do IBD nurses feel about this?

#BSG2018. This has been great. Huge unmet need for varied roles of IBD nurses. Not just Monitoring drugs. Getting admin/sec support for IBD nurses may be cost-effective AS WELL as more nurses.

#BSG2018. Thanks to all for lively debate around crucial IBD role and linch-pin of IBD services!

Life is all about the journey. Full of peaks and valleys. Across Wales supporting Crohn's & Colitis Research

A great day yesterday spent with a diverse group of clinicians with skills relevant to inflammatory bowel disease. We were meeting with a team from Crohn’s Colitis UK to form an advisory group to support the work of the charity.