About the Colorectal Surgery Unit

Colorectal management

Colorectal Lead Clinician: Mr Ian Botterill

Colorectal Service Manager: Miss Keely Robson

Secretary: Ms Jill Laws 01132068920

Colorectal Matron: Mrs Linda Johnson

Secretary: Ms Jill Laws 01132068920

Administration support

The Colorectal Unit is supported by a dedicated administration team, consisting of Medical Secretaries, Clerical Officers and Ward Clerks who help to arrange and coordinate each visit a patient makes to the unit.

How you can help the administration team

The demand on outpatient appointments is particularly high and if you receive an appointment that is not convenient, please contact the number on your appointment letter to re-arrange. We can then offer the cancelled appointment to someone else. The number of appointments lost each week to patients who do not contact us and fail to attend is very high, so your cooperation in helping us reduce this is appreciated.

Complaints/Concerns

During the course of your visits and/or treatment, should you have any concerns or are unhappy with any aspect of the service you have received you can speak to a Senior Sister or Matron on the clinic or ward on the day of your attendance. If you would rather speak to someone at another time then please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). The aim of PALS is to resolve any problem or concerns quickly. They can be contacted:

• By ringing the Patient Relations Office Tel: 0113 2067168
• By e-mailing [email protected]

Colorectal Specialist Nurse Team

The Colorectal and Stoma care nursing department at Leeds Teaching Hospitals is a dedicated team of six specialist nurses, each having expert knowledge in the care and management of bowel conditions and stoma care.

As a specialist team of nurses, we understand that experiencing symptoms of an altered bowel function or receiving a diagnosis of a bowel condition / disease, either malignant (cancerous), or benign (non-cancerous) can be a very emotional and confusing time for you and your family. You may have different concerns, questions and needs at different times during your treatment.

By working closely alongside the medical and surgical teams, the Colorectal and Stoma care nurse specialists aim to provide you and your family on-going emotional and physical support for all your bowel and stoma care needs at every stage of the journey. From the first point of investigation and diagnosis, during hospital treatment and through regular follow up support once at home, we aim to provide a continuous dependable service that you can rely on and readily access whenever needed.

Where we are located

Colorectal and Stoma care Nursing Department

A Floor
Lincoln Wing
St.James’s Hospital

A Nurse-led telephone helpline is available on 0113 2065535.

Mon to Fri 8am to 4pm.

(You may need to leave a message on the answer phone if we are not in the office, but we will aim to contact you back within 24 hours).

For more urgent advice, or if calling outside of our working hours, please contact:

• Your G.P
• The ward from which you were discharged from (if within 48 hours of discharge)
• Attend the Emergency Department

The Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Service

This service provides a team of people who look after patients who have been diagnosed with either Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis.

The team support patients and their families who have a diagnosis of IBD by providing both written and verbal information about their diagnosis and the drugs used to treat their condition.

The team consists of:

• Consultant Gastroenterologists (Medical bowel specialists)
• Consultant Colorectal Surgeons and Registrars
• Specialist Nurses
• Pharmacists
• Dietitians
• Liaison Psychiatry Nurse
• Administration Support

Our aim is to provide improved access to the IBD service where patients and families can receive advice and information. We do this by providing a helpline number.

The IBD Team are:

• Lisa Warren
• Tanya Clark
• Grace Dowson

Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS)

If you are coming into hospital for bowel surgery you may have been informed about our Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Programme (ERAS).

Traditionally people undergoing bowel surgery have stayed in hospital anywhere between 7 and 10 days. Depending on the type of operation you need and your overall health, we aim to help you recover safely from surgery within 4-5 days.

The programme involves a close working relationship between doctors, anaesthetists, nurses, dietitians and physiotherapists who will be focusing on your enhanced recovery from surgery. With your help, together with changes in how we manage and care for our patients we hope to get you safely ready for home in this much shorter time.

We aim to do this by ensuring:

• You are in the best possible condition for having surgery
• You receive the best possible management during and after your operation
• You experience the best possible rehabilitation after your surgery

Our aim is to educate and motivate patients to play an active part in their recovery.

The enhanced recovery programme is quite structured. Each day you are in hospital after your operation, there are certain goals we would like you to achieve such as early mobilisation (moving around) along with eating and drinking requirements. Each person is an individual and will recover at a different rate.