A Stepping Hill Hospital nurse has received a national award for providing improving care for patients with bowel conditions.

Rachel Campbell is a lead specialist nurse for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is a term mainly used to describe two conditions: ulcerative colitis and Crohn`s disease.

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn`s disease are long-term conditions that involve inflammation of the gut. People of any age can get IBD, but it`s usually diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40. It is estimated that IBD affects about one person in every 250 in the UK.

There is no cure and the conditions can cause pain, cramps or swelling in the tummy, weight loss and extreme tiredness so prompt diagnosis and treatment are important.

Rachel has set-up a rapid access clinic at Stepping Hill Hospital for patients with suspected IBD, which has reduced referral times from over 30 weeks down to 8-10 weeks. 

Rachel received the ‘IBD Richard Driscoll Nursing Excellence Award’ for ensuring swift treatment for patients suffering from these uncomfortable conditions.