Enquiries: 01305 251150

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Service

Updated 5 December 2023

The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Service is part of the Gastroenterology Department at Dorset County Hospital.

Our service consists of two IBD Consultants, three IBD Nurses, an IBD Pharmacist and an IBD Administrator. We are also part of a wider multidisciplinary team and hold regular meetings with our IBD Colorectal Surgeons, Radiologist and Histopathologist to discuss our patients' treatment pathways. 

Our team

Dr Angel Castro Silva, Consultant Gastroenterologist

Dr James Shutt, Consultant Gastroenterologist

Mr Ben Stubbs, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon

Mr Paul Ng, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon

Arabis Oglesby, Lead IBD Specialist Nurse

Heather Caines, IBD Specialist Nurse

Kelly Blackmore, IBD Specialist Nurse

Katie Travers, IBD Pharmacist

Natalie Middleton, IBD Administrator

We aim to provide a patient-centred service offering all patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and their carer’s education, information and support to enable them to live as normal a lifestyle as possible.

We hold regular clinics at Bridport, Blandford and Weymouth Community Hospitals as well as Dorset County Hospital where we see new and follow–up patients to review treatment and offer education and health advice as necessary.

We operate a system where patients can come to clinic at short notice in the event of a relapse of their Inflammatory Bowel Disease. This is arranged via the telephone and email helpline.

IBD telephone helpline: 01305 255102

IBD email helpline: IBDNurses@dchft.nhs.uk

The IBD telephone helpline service has a 24–hour voicemail system. If you have any worries or concerns about your Inflammatory Bowel Disease please do not hesitate to contact us. We aim to return your call with 48 hours during the working week.

Patients often phone because they have increased symptoms. It is important to seek early advice if you experience any of the following symptoms: increased diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea or vomiting, bleeding from the back passage or other symptoms that cause you concern. We may advise on increasing or altering your current medication. We will, following assessment of your symptoms, arrange an urgent clinic appointment if required.

Patients may also have queries regarding their medication such as dosage and side effects. We are happy to discuss these and other issues related to your Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

For general information on IBD, please refer to www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk

If you are a healthcare professional/GP seeking advice, please refer to www.rcgp.org.uk/clinical-and-research/resources/toolkits/inflammatory-bowel-disease-toolkit

We also have a DCH IBD Community Group on Facebook. The aim of this group is to bring together our local IBD Community in a non-judgemental, supportive forum as a secure place to share experiences, ideas and helpful information to lessen the burden and impact of IBD. Click here to join the group.

Click here to access our patient information leaflets. 

Your data can help improve the lives of people with IBD

Join the IBD Registry to help improve treatment and care and support research.

The IBD Registry collects health data from NHS hospitals and analyses this information to help improve services for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It also supports new research into these conditions.

You can join the Registry online to make sure your data can be used to support this valuable resource. You can also give us permission to use your data for research, and tell us if you want to be contacted about new studies that are relevant to you and you may want to take part in. This can make it easier for researchers to recruit the participants they need.

To find out more about the IBD Registry and how to sign up, go to ibdregistry.org.uk/join

IBD helpline