To ask the Minister of Health what proposals are being brought forward to improve awareness of the symptoms of Crohn’s Disease and Colitis among staff in Emergency Departments.

Awareness of the symptoms of Crohn’s Disease and Colitis is on both the undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum completed by all Emergency Department (ED) staff.

Across the 5 Health and Social Care Trusts there are different resources available to ED staff for example:

access to an educational mobile app with details on the management of patients with Crohn's and Colitis,

a Gastrointestinal (GI) session on a rotating basis for junior doctors,

educational events for GPs and secondary care staff with regards to the symptoms of Crohn's and colitis and pathways for referral (not specific to ED staff),

ensuring easy access from the ED to the GI services.

There is a very high awareness among ED staff of the possibility of Crohn’s and colitis in patients presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms. New diagnosis of all Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients generally requires specialist outpatient type investigations including endoscopy which are not available in Emergency Departments.