Dear Chloe

Reference Number FOI 2023 - 968

Thank you for your request for information from North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust.

We anticipate being able to provide a response within the timescales allowed under the Act.

In the meantime if you have any questions regarding this request please contact us directly quoting the reference number above.

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust comprises of Peterborough City Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Hospital and Stamford & Rutland Hospital. The Trust also provides community clinics at Princess of Wales Hospital in Ely, Doddington Hospital and North Cambs Hospital in Wisbech. Further information is available via our website www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk.

Any future Freedom of Information requests should be addressed to North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust using the email address below.

Kind regards

The Freedom of Information Team
Hinchingbrooke Hospital
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
[North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust request email]

show quoted sections

Ref: FOI/2023/968

Dear Chloe

Thank you for your recent enquiry under the Freedom of Information Act.
Please find your response detailed below.

Requesters Question and Trust Response:

1.To what extent are the British Society of Gastroenterology Inflammatory
Bowel Disease colorectal cancer surveillance endoscopy recommendations
been implemented in this Trust?  If they are being partially implemented,
please outline which areas are currently being met.

 The Inflammatory Bowel Disease SN team at Peterborough City Hospital note
in patient clinics or telephone advice letters when the patients last
colonoscopy was since the pandemic, as outpatient appointments were
cancelled and we had concerns for patients awaiting their surveillance, we
agreed to book the next surveillance colonoscopy when reviewing any new
colonoscopy results and histology. We also request the follow up
surveillance colonoscopy when seen in clinic or note on the clinical
letter when the next one is due, as per the BSG surveillance guidelines.
The letter is sent to the GP and copied to the patient. On looking at
clinic letters from the Hinchingbrooke Inflammatory Bowel Disease team
this process doesn’t happen currently, occasionally colonoscopies are
documented and occasionally patients are copied in, I do not yet know if
they request colonoscopies as the last ones are reported on.  Now the new
Lead Inflammatory Bowel Disease post has been appointed this will be fed
back to the team and streamlined to be providing the same service to all
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust patients. A clinic visit to
Hinchingbrooke has already been scheduled for tomorrow  and Wednesday to
review their practise.

2.What percentage of Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients are currently
overdue their surveillance endoscopy based on the timelines set out in the
British Society of Gastroenterology consensus guidelines on the management
of inflammatory bowel disease in adults (2019)? Please provide this
information broken down by high risk, intermediate risk and lower risk as
out in this same guidance.

We do not currently divide the surveillance colonoscopies into risk areas.
We have previously discussed with Endoscopy service manager the need to
get PSC patients added to a risk box for the surveillance requesting which
is still outstanding and will be chased up.  Currently we request the
surveillance colonoscopy with the date they are required and the endoscopy
team manage this. The Inflammatory Bowel Disease team highlight any
overdue colonoscopies to the endoscopy booking team if they see a patient
in clinic. I am uncertain if the endoscopy team can identify patients
overdue their surveillance and have previously been informed patients are
being worked through in date order rather than an at risk order. We have
raised awareness of the surveillance patients and it has been discussed at
consultant level and discussions have taken place around the need for a
hepatology and surveillance colonoscopy tracker.

3. What plans are in place to manage the Inflammatory Bowel Disease
colorectal cancer colonoscopy surveillance backlog in light of the
COVID-19 pandemic?

The full guidelines referred to in these questions can be found in Box 11
on page 72 at:
[1]https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

We are currently using funding approved by a business case to support
insourcing additional endoscopy lists at both of our sites to manage and
reduce the backlog of all colonoscopy surveillance patients which include
those with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.  It is anticipated that the
insourcing additional lists at weekends will reduce the backlog by the mid
part of 2024 with an aim to adhering to waiting times across all urgency
levels for patients waiting for endoscopy procedures.  Recruitment to
Endoscopist positions is also ongoing to support current unfilled sessions
during the week to support a manageable waiting list with increased demand
and overcoming the backlog of procedures.

Please note that this response has been provided within the 20 working day
timeframe as stipulated in the Act.

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust comprises of Peterborough City
Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Hospital and Stamford & Rutland Hospital.  The
Trust also provides community clinics at Princess of Wales Hospital in
Ely, Doddington Hospital and North Cambs Hospital in Wisbech.  Further
information is available via our website [2]www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk.

If you disagree with our decision or are dissatisfied with how we have
dealt with your request in the first instance you may contact me on the
following email address [3][North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust request email] to request an
internal review.

Should you remain dissatisfied with the outcome you have a right under s50
of the Freedom of Information Act to appeal against the decision by
contacting:

Information Commissioner

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113

Email: [4][email address]

Yours sincerely

FOI Team

Hinchingbrooke Hospital

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust

[5][North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust request email]

show quoted sections