Irritable bowel syndrome in adults

Why this quality standard is needed

Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic, relapsing and often life‑long disorder. It is characterised by abdominal pain or discomfort, which may be relieved by defaecation or accompanied by a change in bowel habit. Symptoms may include constipation or diarrhoea or both, and abdominal distension, usually referred to as bloating. People present with varying symptom profiles, most commonly 'diarrhoea predominant', 'constipation predominant' or mixed symptom (alternating between diarrhoea and constipation). Symptoms sometimes overlap with other gastrointestinal disorders such as non‑ulcer dyspepsia or coeliac disease.

The causes of irritable bowel syndrome have not been adequately defined, although gut hypersensitivity, disturbed colonic motility, bowel dysfunction after an infection, microbial imbalance in the gut (dysbiosis), low‑grade inflammation or a defective antinociceptive (anti‑pain) system are possible causes. Stress commonly aggravates the disorder.

Irritable bowel syndrome may cause lack of sleep, anxiety and lethargy, which may lead to time off work, avoidance of stressful or social situations, and a significant reduction in quality of life.

The quality standard is expected to contribute to improvements in the following outcomes:

How this quality standard supports delivery of outcome frameworks

NICE quality standards are a concise set of prioritised statements designed to drive measurable improvements in the 3 dimensions of quality – patient safety, patient experience and clinical effectiveness – for a particular area of health or care. They are derived from high‑quality guidance, such as that from NICE or other sources accredited by NICE. This quality standard, in conjunction with the guidance on which it is based, should contribute to the improvements outlined in the following 2 outcomes frameworks published by the Department of Health:

Patient experience and safety issues

Ensuring that care is safe and that people have a positive experience of care is vital in a high‑quality service. It is important to consider these factors when planning and delivering services relevant to irritable bowel syndrome.

NICE has developed guidance and an associated quality standard on patient experience in adult NHS services (see the NICE Pathway on patient experience in adult NHS services), which should be considered alongside this quality standard. They specify that people receiving care should be treated with dignity, have opportunities to discuss their preferences, and be supported to understand their options and make fully informed decisions. They also cover the provision of information to patients and service users. Quality statements on these aspects of patient experience are not usually included in topic‑specific quality standards. However, recommendations in the development sources for quality standards that affect patient experience and are specific to the topic are considered during quality statement development.

Coordinated services

The quality standard for irritable bowel syndrome specifies that services should be commissioned from and coordinated across all relevant agencies encompassing the whole irritable bowel syndrome care pathway. A person‑centred, integrated approach to providing services is fundamental to delivering high‑quality care to people with irritable bowel syndrome.

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 sets out a clear expectation that the care system should consider NICE quality standards in planning and delivering services, as part of a general duty to secure continuous improvement in quality. Commissioners and providers of health and social care should refer to the library of NICE quality standards when designing high‑quality services. Other quality standards that should also be considered when choosing, commissioning or providing a high‑quality irritable bowel syndrome service are listed in related NICE quality standards.