ASCN UK Project Updates

ASCS Project – Aim, Inception and Purpose

Date: 26 May 2025

A personal note from Natasha Rolls, ASCN UK Treasurer and lead of ASCS.

It has come to our attention, at ASCN UK, that there persists a misunderstanding regarding the Advancing Stoma Care Services Project (ASCS), so I wanted to clarify its aim, inception and purpose.

I have been personally involved in this project since its beginnings in 2018 when I was invited, along with 16 other Specialist Stoma Care Nurses (SSCN), to meet with Dr Terri Porrett and Dr Peter Carter OBE to explore why, as the very first specialist nurses in the UK our professional standing appeared somewhat diminished. The other SSCN’s were invited from amongst your peers, some NHS, some sponsored, some company (from all the industry partners) etc, and this was a group of truly varied individuals who shared a common purpose – to raise the profile of our profession and advocate for ostomates.

Over time our numbers dwindled, as people’s ability to commit varied, especially during the pandemic when our professional lives faced unforetold challenges. We produced articles, presented on the project: you may recall I won Presenter of the Year at ASCN UK Conference 2019 presenting on this project, and the group were awarded 2020 BJN stoma nurses of the year for our work on this project. Whilst it is true that Dr Terri Porrett works for Coloplast, and they have been very supportive of this project, this has always been something that she has driven for the entire profession, NOT for one company.

Since the beginning of 2024, ASCN UK have taken over leading this project, we are fortunate enough to have Dr Terri Porrett seconded to us from Coloplast, to support us in this work. I am her ASCN UK Lead and Manager, and I delegate activities for her to undertake and deliver to ASCN UK for the project. This is NOT a Coloplast project.

We cannot do this without industry support. ASCN UK is a charity with income generated from donations and conference (although this income stream has decreased over recent years). As prices increase, we are mindful to not pass on all those costs to our industry partners or you, the members. We are accountable to the charities commission and must always act with integrity, be fair and ethical as well as honest in our activities including specific projects aimed to improve the service we provide.

We cannot afford to lead this project, or for that matter the EXPASS (Exercise and Physical Activity after Stoma Surgery) without industry support. We have, to date, received financial support from Coloplast UK Ltd and Salts Healthcare LTD, and have had promise of funding from a third industry partner. This financial investment in the project is essential for its success and we are hugely grateful to these companies, not only for their financial support but because they are demonstrating true collaborative working. By investing in the project, they are showing they value Specialist Nursing and are prepared to set aside ‘company colours’ and work together in meaningful way.

Financial investment does not mean they are afforded any control, ASCN UK is driving this for you, and I happen to believe that its the single most important thing I will do in my career to protect and promote my profession and effectively advocate for ostomates.

Remember – there is currently NO Statutory recommendation that ostomates have access to a SSCN or service – imagine type 1 diabetic or cancer care not having a recognised pathway of care, the disparity in care delivery would be intolerable. At a time when nursing faces so many challenges, not least in funding, and banding and role definition, when advanced practice and enhanced roles are proliferating, we must stand up for specialist nursing and show its national value.

This year, 2025, a group of amazing nurses advocated at parliamentary level, with the help of MP Dawn Butler, to protect the title NURSE, because prior to this anyone could call themselves a nurse, even if you had been struck off the NMC register or had NO qualifications or education. As nursing is one of the most trusted professions it is a powerful word and can be used unethically which reduces the level of trust when there are news articles about the wrongdoing of nurses. With the title protected to call yourself a nurse means you must hold a current NMC registration. This will help protect us and our patients, it seems astounding that it has taken this long. This is an example of the influence that we as nurses can have on the landscape of nursing in the UK.

We understand there are support staff amongst our trusted colleagues and we, in no way, wish to diminish their role or their value to us as specialists but we do want to make sure they too are protected and supported. We need to ensure that we are all working within our scope of practice, with effective safety, governance and supported with relevant education and with pay and conditions that are commensurate with our roles and responsibilities. (the RCN has produced a recent definition for support workers – https://www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-events/news/uk-rcn-defines-nursing-support-workers-and-their-level-descriptors-140525).

At ASCN UK, we are reviewing and updating our role guidelines, both because this is good practice but also to embrace the current changes in nursing commensurate with the need to move forward as a profession. Our roles and responsibilities bear little resemblance to nursing even 10 years ago, and we owe it to you to offer guidance and support in advocating for your departments, services and each other. We will use the RCN guidance on Enhanced, Advanced and Consultant nursing roles, as well as evidence and job descriptions so that you always have an up-to-date resource to help you to demonstrate the vital nature of your roles.

The above work is part of the ASCS, as well as the devising of 3 pathways of care, case study work and patient experience workstream- the entire project is huge and we are grateful to all those giving their time and efforts to this, and we are still working to attain adoption by GIRFT when it will become an NHSE (whatever guise that may take) project. It is then that trusts, ICS’s etc will be supported to ensure that they eliminate variation and ensure best practice.

Things to look out for include a survey which will come from NHSE GIRFT but will likely come to you, we will alert you all nearer the time and will provide an update at conference in October,  as well as a workshop in ACPGBI, this work is very transferable, when we advocate for specialist nursing, we do not need to exclude anyone.

Most importantly of all please ensure you share this with colleagues, this is YOUR project, run by ASCNUK for you, we need help from our industry colleagues, the same way we need the expertise of RCN and NMC colleagues and can take ideas from our medical colleagues and learn from other AHP’s – but the ASCS project is owned and being led and managed by ASCN UK.

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