'What should I do?' Ulcerative Colitis Health Management Guide

The Guide's contents were developed by a partnership between the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre, which is a Department of Health-funded initiative, and the Department of Gastroenterology both based at the University of Manchester. People with inflammatory bowel disease also contributed assistance and advice to help individuals improve their understanding of Ulcerative Colitis.

The NPCRDC programme of research has provided strong evidence that the 'whole system' approach to a patient's self-management of an irritable bowel disease improves patient outcomes, is cost effective and is popular with patients and doctors. To view how the NPCRDC programme has been developed visit the NPCRDC research page.

The Guide's development has been carefully researched by NPCRDC and some of the initial research findings can be viewed as follows:

• Guided Self-Management in Ulcerative Colitis: Better Treatment and More Efficient Use of Health Services
• Use of a guidebook to facilitate a patient-centred approach to the management of Ulcerative Colitis

The combination pack also features an essential Personal Record Book developed to enable patients to keep track of the self-management of their inflammatory bowel disease by allowing them to note and monitor changes in their health. Sections include:

• Specialist details
• Medical information
• Test results
• Clinic results
• Flare ups
• Food diary
• Symptom diary
• Monitoring
• Self management plan

The authors are Anne Kennedy, Research Fellow at the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre - University of Manchester and Dr Andrew Robinson, Clinical Lecturer in Gastroenterology - University of Manchester.