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12
Focus | Autumn 2010
New adolescent service for
patients with inflammatory
disease
A new service for teenagers suffering
from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
has been launched by the Bradford
Royal Infirmary.
The gastroenterology unit has developed
the new IBD transition clinic which aims
to help ease the move from child to
adult-orientated health care smoothly.
IBD is the term used to cover the chronic
conditions like Crohn’s Disease and
Ulcerative Colitis - painful conditions
which affect anywhere from the
mouth to the bottom and can lead to a
narrowing in the gut (part of the small
bowel). Typical signs include diahorrea
and bleeding, weight loss, failure to
thrive, abdominal pain and sometimes
malnutrition as the absorption of
nutrients does not take place.
BRI consultant gastroenterologist, Dr
Cathryn Preston, said: “In a bid to get
patients to take greater responsibility for
their own health, we have developed these
joint clinics between the adult and paediatric
gastro teams, which the young people can
attend for as long as is appropriate before
transferring permanently to the care of adult
services.
“The move from paediatric to adult clinics
can be very daunting for teenagers during
what can be a very important and vulnerable
time in their lives.
“Young people need to know they will be
supported through this transition smoothly
and successfully as it is an important factor if
they are to achieve their maximum potential
in terms of education, health, development
and well-being.”
The clinic, which takes place at adult
outpatients, sees the patient meet up with
the handover team to discuss the move. The
team consists of a paediatric consultant, an
adult gastroenterologist, an adult IBD nurse
specialist, a paediatric nurse specialist, the
patient’s parents (who attend for part of
the consultation), an outpatient nurse and a
paediatric dietician.
Teenage paitient Salma Ahemd with IBD nurse
specialist Deborah Patterson, left, and IBD
consultant Dr Cathryn Preston, right
The transition clinics begin after school at
3.30pm. Future plans include a youth panel
or mentoring service by young people who
have already graduated to the full adult
service, to help other young people coming
through.
Dr Preston added: “Peer support is critical
during adolescence and it’s something that
has not previously been on offer in the
department. We are working hard to make
this a reality as it’s vital for young people
to be able to talk to other teenagers in a
similar situation about what they are going
through.”
One young Bradford patient, who is
supporting the new clinic, is 16-yearold
Salma Ahmed. She believes the new
transition clinic for young IBD sufferers in
Bradford will be invaluable, especially the
peer support group.
“Suffering from something like Crohn’s
disease makes you grow up quicker and
it’s made me realise that life is not a bed of
roses.
“There were tough times - the long nights,
the long stays in hospital, the pain, but
the new clinic sounds really beneficial to
young people in Bradford because it will
help the transition to adult healthcare run
more smoothly and give young people, at
a vulnerable stage of their life, time to get
used to the change in medical help.
“Growing up as a teenager normally is hard
enough work without having something
like Crohn’s, so anything that encourages
normality can only be a good thing.”
In Bradford, around 1,600 adults and 50
children, under the age of 18-years-old,
suffer from the lifelong condition. The
average age for presenting with the disease
is 11 years and nine months and, locally,
there is a slightly higher prevalence rate of
ulcerative colitis in children from a south
Asian background.
Dr Preston added: “We don’t know why
this illness affects a slightly higher number
of Asian children and in order to address
Bradford’s future health needs we need to
understand why this is. So we are currently
involved in recruiting for a trial into IBD
genetics at Manchester Royal Infirmary to
help provide some answers.”
For more information, contact the
National Association for Colitis and
Crohn’s Disease on 0845 130 2233 or
nacc.org.uk
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