Meet the IBD Patient Panel
I’m Andrea and I’m the secretary of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Patient Panel at the Royal London Hospital
IBD incorporates two main chronic illnesses: Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. There are currently around 3,500 patients with IBD looked after at the Royal London hospital (children, young adults and adult).
The IBD Patient Panel formed in 2017 and we are a group of voluntary IBD patients and staff who meet every six to eight weeks to discuss hospital services and how we can work with the medical teams and hospital management to make changes to improve patient services and experiences.
We run regular events within the hospital such as open days and information stands for patients, raising awareness of IBD charities (Crohn’s and Colitis UK and Crohn’s in Childhood Research Association) and information and support available to the patients within the hospital and via the charities.
As a panel we have already started making a huge difference for patients through our projects based on Patient experience questionnaires that we sent out and analysed. We have played a large part in getting the ‘Not Every Disability is Visible’ signs on accessible toilet doors. This will have a huge positive impact not only for IBD patients who feel stigmatised for needing toilet facilities urgently but also for other Conditions and Learning needs of the hospital community too. With the support of CCUK East London Group we have also provided our IBD inpatients with a freezer to help make Enteral Nutrition more palatable. We have presented at the Hospital’s Learning and Teaching Day and our current project includes working together with the Outpatients Patient Panel to install self check-in systems in outpatients.
I have been a patient at The Royal London Hospital since I was 13 and diagnosed with IBD. I joined the Patient Panel to help give something back to the hospital community and support the staff team who have supported me so amazingly since day one. The service provides excellent care but there is always room for improvement and ensuring the patients have the very best experience.
We are always looking for new members to come and join us so whether you’re a patient, family member or member of RLH staff from any dept get in touch J
If you would like to know more or get involved please contact us.
Facebook @RLHIBDPanel
Twitter @IBDPanel_RLH
Instagram @IBDpatientpanel_RLH
