ASCN UK Project Updates

ASCS Update – April 2025

Date: 25 April 2025

The project continues and following a face-to-face meeting in December, with all stakeholders, we have established 4 working groups, each with a defined remit and intent.

All groups will meet, virtually, in the next month.

Group 1a will devise the 3 pathways of care, Elective, Emergency and re-accessing stoma care services. Using evidence and best practice documents and keeping the patient at the centre, they will devise the structure of pathways which will be adopted and implemented by GIRFT and will form the foundation for national mandating.

Group 1b are looking at case studies and using these to provide evidence of the vital nature of the impact of excellent stoma care, to the patient, the health economy, social economy and ecologically. These will provide the basis to show what stoma care services provide now, how they are best placed to deliver on the new governments aims and objectives particularly the Secretary of state for health 3 shifts- analogue to digital, prevention rather than treatment and form hospital to community.

Group 2 are looking at professional advocacy and workforce – this group will devise and deliver a second ‘state of the nation’ survey to ensure we know what stoma care services, resources and workforce looks like so we can see what is required to deliver best practice across the country. WATCH THIS SPACE: the request for each department to complete the survey will come to you, we will make sure you are fully prepared and alerted – we will need you ALL to complete it – the data is a VITAL part of the whole project. This group will also look to devise and establish role competencies and requirements to demonstrate the advanced level that specialist nurses are working at and secure the future.

Group 3 will look at the patient focus and will explore the development of a patient’s feedback survey, potentially in pilot format initially, which could then be utilised regularly – possibly annually to ensure that services are meeting patient needs and provide that audit/ quality role.

As you can imagine this a huge piece of work and requires all in the groups to be committed, we are enormously grateful to all those who have volunteered for these groups – their passion and skill is vital and appreciated.

Our aim is to meet again, in person, in the early summer to feedback and keep momentum going.

We are also looking at funding streams and opportunities, as this is an ASCNUK project we are always accountable to you, our members, in how we spend our funds and to the charities commission in how we conduct our endeavours. We have had investment from Coloplast and Salts Healthcare and are seeking financial support from our other industry partners as well as making funding applications to the RCN Foundation, IA, and other organisations to support this vital project All investment is gratefully received and essential to the success of the project, don’t forget this project WILL lead to stoma care being an adopted workstream on the GIRFT program which will secure services and best practice care for our patients.

We will keep you updated and you can always seek further information through the website or by contacting our secretariat via admin@ascnuk.org

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