The future of endoscopy research

Find out more about the top 10 research priorities for endoscopies.

Guts UK is proud to have funded an Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) into endoscopies, joining forces with Crohn’s and Colitis UK and the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) to increase our reach and impact.

PSPs identify and prioritise 10 unanswered questions that research has the potential to answer. The process of a PSP brings together patients, carers and healthcare professionals, all with an equal voice.

In 2025, Guts UK started the process of identifying the 10 research priorities for endoscopies in the UK. It was important to us that patients, their families, carers and healthcare professionals decided the priority research areas together, with equal voices. We invited people to share their thoughts via a public survey, which helped us to identify the questions that people most wanted answers to.

In 2026 following a final workshop where patients, carers and healthcare professionals came together to decide the priority questions, we announced the top 10 research priorities for endoscopies.

An illustration of a doctor performing a colonoscopy on a patient. The patient is lying on a bed, on their side, facing the doctor. A bedsheet is covering them. There is a screen showing their gut.

 

Your top 10 research priorities for endoscopies

We’d like to thank those who contributed to our Endoscopy PSP. Your input has changed the future of endoscopy research in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.  This would not have been possible without you. Discover the priorities below or read the final report here.

Priority 1

What are the best ways to reduce patients’ anxiety or distress both before and during endoscopy?

Priority 2

What are the best ways to communicate the results of endoscopies to patients after the procedure?

Priority 3

How can the detection and monitoring of abnormalities (cancer or non-cancerous) by endoscopists be improved?

Priority 4

How can pain relief and sedation be optimised during endoscopy?

Priority 5

What are the best ways to prepare the bowel before colonoscopy, especially for people whose health condition may affect how well this works?

Priority 6

What are the best ways to reduce the risk of complications from endoscopy?

Priority 7

Is there value in undergoing endoscopy for people with minor symptoms, including impact on patient outcomes and demand on services?

Priority 8

What are the best ways to prepare for endoscopy of the upper digestive tract, especially for people whose health condition may affect how well this works?

Priority 9

How can artificial intelligence (AI) improve the diagnosis of health conditions during endoscopy? Can AI improve the quality and the efficiency of endoscopy?

Priority 10

What are the best ways to measure patients’ experience of endoscopy?

An illustration of a group of healthcare professionals and patients sat round a table.

What is a PSP?

A Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) identifies and prioritises unanswered questions for certain medical conditions or areas of health. PSPs bring together patients, carers, doctors, nurses, scientists, researchers, dietitians and other healthcare professionals – all with an equal voice. Together, they will decide the top ten research priorities for a particular condition or procedure. Our PSPs are facilitated by The James Lind Alliance (JLA).

What is an endoscopy?

An endoscopy is the general name for a test that looks inside your body. A specialist doctor or nurse (an endoscopist) will use an endoscope. It’s a long, thin tube with a small camera attached. They will pass it through a natural opening in your body to look closely at your gut. This might be through your mouth, nose or anus. The camera sends images to a screen, so the endoscopist can see different parts of the gut.

There are different types of endoscopies that look at different parts of the body. The type of endoscopy you have will depend on your symptoms. If you need an endoscopy, your GP will make a referral. The procedure usually takes place at an endoscopy unit in a hospital.

Why did we decide to fund a PSP into endoscopy?

Our guts have been misunderstood, underfunded and undervalued for decades. With the first Endoscopy PSP now complete, we have a clearer understanding of the research questions that matter most to patients, carers and healthcare professionals. We hope these priorities will lead to increased research funding for endoscopy in the UK.