Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve timely diagnosis for people living with Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.

Through the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme, NHS England supports local integrated care boards (ICBs) to help deliver high-quality, timely services, including for people with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The GIRFT programme on gastroenterology aims to reduce variations in care, and to increase early diagnosis and proactive management of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

The GIRFT gastroenterology report recommends measures such as rapid access to specialist review within four weeks, personalised care plans, and expanded endoscopy capacity. These changes aim to cut emergency admissions, improve quality of life, and ensure equitable access to specialist nurses and multidisciplinary support across the country.