P-04-560 Provision of IBD Services in Wales – Correspondence from the Petitioner to the Committee, 21.05.15

SOUTH WALES IBD PATIENT PANEL

Comments on National Assembly for Wales Petition Correspondence

· As a Panel we welcome constructive feedback from both the Welsh Government and a number of Wales’ Local Health Boards (LHBs) with regards to our petition’s call for an All-Wales Gastroenterology Plan.

· In view of the call from patients and a number of LHBs supporting the establishment of such an All-Wales Plan, we are disappointed that the Minister for Health and Social Services does not agree with such clinical expertise and patient experience.

· In formulating a strategy for future inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) services in Wales, we urge the Minister to listen to the views of patients, clinicians and campaigning organisations when they call for an improved and more consistent standard of IBD care and services in Wales.

· We welcome the recent Assembly Written Statement of Opinion, tabled by Jocelyn Davies AM, calling on the Minister to develop a pan-Wales approach to meet the National IBD Standards 2013, developed by national professional bodies and patient organisations.

· As a Patient Panel representing the views of people with IBD in South Wales, we will continue to engage with clinicians, Assembly Members, organisations such as Crohn’s & Colitis UK and other interested parties to hold the Welsh Government to account and drive forward an improvement in the standard of IBD services in Wales.