Review By Cathie King, Colorectal/Stoma CNS at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness
I recently had the opportunity of attending ACPGBI in Edinburgh. Having attended this meeting in the past, I was not disappointed by the quality of the presentations, which covered various colorectal-related topics. Whilst the presentations always cover innovations in treatments/surgical techniques etc. This year’s ‘hot topic’ seemed to be prehabilitation, exploring the importance of ensuring people are as fit as they can be before surgery. I was honoured to be asked by the Patient Liason group to speak about the difficulties patients face when going home, discussing not only the physical but also the psychological needs.
As an associate member of ACPGBI, I also attended the coloproctology nurses’ workshop on stratified and supported follow-up for colorectal cancer patients. This, being all nurses, involved some lively debate, and I have come away motivated to explore options offering options for this group of patients to feel they have ownership of their situation and a role to play in managing their own follow-up.
I was also delighted that there was a session devoted to management of constipation, acknowledging how complex this problem can be and how management and treatment need to be multifaceted with an emphasis on team working and a holistic approach to care is vital. This is in area in particular which we in NHS Highland are exploring and hope to develop our specialist nursing team to work closely with our consultant and physiotherapist colleagues in order that we can help provide much-needed care and support to this particular patient group.