New website launches to improve gut diagnosis

Guts UK Charity is proud to announce the launch of a brand new website, What’s Up With My Gut, designed to support people trying to get a diagnosis for gut problems.

Getting the right support is so important when it comes to our guts. But we know that getting the right diagnosis isn’t always easy; which is why this new online resource tackles this problem from all sides – providing information to healthcare professionals, people experiencing digestive symptoms, and parents of young people with symptoms.

HOW DOES THIS WEBSITE HELP?

The What’s Up With My Gut website makes the pathway to diagnosis clearer.

Every day, people throughout the UK visit their GP to find out why they have gut problems and symptoms. Whether it’s coeliac disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or another condition, getting a diagnosis can be complicated and overwhelming.

The What’s Up With My Gut website:

• Provides support to GPs and other healthcare professionals with the decisions they make
• Makes the process of diagnosis easier to understand and less overwhelming for those with symptoms

HELPING PEOPLE WITH GUT PROBLEMS

For parents and people trying to get a diagnosis, the website provides step-by-step guides to support and empower them to understand the actions their GP will take. This includes:

• When to see a GP
• How to get the best out of GP appointments
• Which conditions the GP may look into
• The tests and investigations your GP may consider
• What to do once you have your results

INFORMING AND GUIDING HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

For healthcare professionals, the website provides clear pathways to help patients get a diagnosis. It has been endorsed by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).

Following these guidelines can help to shorten the time to diagnosis, reduce variation among healthcare professionals and improve patient’s experiences of care.

The website hosts separate pathways for adults and children and young people. There are also detailed supporting resources for adults to help improve understanding and experience of what their diagnostic journey might look like in primary and community care.

These pathways include information on:

• Considerations to make when taking a history
• Conditions to think about
• Investigations to consider
• When to make a referral to a specialist
• Red flags for cancer

A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH

Guts UK Charity is proud to have worked on the What’s Up With My Gut website in partnership with other gut-related charities, people diagnosed with gut problems, and healthcare professional organisations. These include:

• The British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG)
• The British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (BSPGHAN)
• The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland (ACPGBI),
• Coeliac UK
• Crohn’s & Colitis UK
• Crohn’s in Childhood Research Association (CICRA)
• The IBS Network