Lower GI Bleeding
Dr Mike Davies

Guts UK and the BSG are proud to announce that we will award £3,000 to MaGNET (The Mersey Gasteroenterology Network), who aim to improve quality of care for patients with lower GI (bowel) bleeding.

What is a lower GI bleed?

A lower GI bleed refers to bleeding from the lower part of the digestive system (bowel, rectum and anal canal). This is a medical emergency and there is a high risk of mortality (3-18%). Previous studies have shown that quickly and effectively treating this bleed saves lives.

What do we know already?

We know that the way patients with a lower GI bleed are treated in hospital varies. This depends on the type of doctor caring for them (a surgeon or medical doctor) and which investigations are available and/or used.

In 2019, to address this treatment difference, the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) produced guidelines with recommendations for doctors and healthcare professionals on how to manage patients with lower GI bleeds.

What does this research aim to find out?

MaGNET is a network of trainees and doctors from the Merseyside and Cheshire region, serving approximately 2.1 million people. Although it is a medical emergency, the number of patients presenting with a lower GI bleed in these regions is unknown. It is not yet known how NHS trusts best adhere to these new guidelines either (e.g. resources necessary). The team wish to gather data about the number of patients presenting with these bleeds and learn how NHS trusts are currently following these guidelines.

How will the team do this?

In this study, the group of trainees and doctors from MaGNET will work together to assess how patients with a lower GI bleed are currently treated. They will review practice across Merseyside and Cheshire hospitals and assess whether the hospitals have the resources they need to adhere to the current guidelines.

MaGNET will review differences in patient management between the hospitals, identifying areas that may be able to be improved and any obstacles that medical staff might have, preventing them from delivering the best treatment to patients.

Finally and importantly, the team will then share their findings nationally, to try and improve patient outcomes and care across the UK.

How might this benefit future patients?

This project aims to identify areas that can be improved and ensure all patients with lower GI bleeding receive the best possible care, which could potentially be life-saving.

“We are extremely grateful to Guts UK and the BSG for this award and their support in helping us address such an important issue. This will allow us to review our current practice of lower GI bleeding, but most importantly, it may improve the care for patients presenting with a life-threatening condition. We look forward to working with Guts UK and the BSG on such an exciting project.”

A lower GI (bowel) bleed is a medical emergency. It can be life-threatening, so evaluating performance against the current UK guidelines and sharing knowledge nation-wide has the potential to save lives.

Guts UK is the only UK charity funding research into the digestive system from top to tail. Our research has the capacity to save lives. Your donations make it possible. Help the UK get to grips with guts by donating to Guts UK today.