Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will adopt the latest Inflammatory Bowel Disease Standards Group standards for the care of patients with the condition.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides the National Health Service and social care providers with advice on delivering effective healthcare. NICE has published guidelines on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), set out in, Crohn’s disease: Management in adults, children and young people, published in October 2012 and, Ulcerative colitis: Management in adults, children and young people, published in June 2013. NHS England expects local commissioners and providers to consider the latest evidence and guidance when planning services for patients with all conditions, including IBD.

NICE is currently developing a Quality Standard for IBD, covering both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, and invited submissions to its development group from key stakeholders as part of this process. Quality Standards are important in setting out to patients, the public, commissioners and providers the key elements of a high quality service in a particular area of care. The IBD Standards Group made a submission to the development group which drew on its new standards of care, published in October 2013. The Quality Standard is due to be published later this month.