Paediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) requires complex, multidisciplinary care. However, variation in service delivery and limited insight into patient and family experience may impact care quality. This study evaluated patient-reported experience in a specialist paediatric IBD multidisciplinary team (MDT) clinic, benchmarked findings against an internal target and informed local quality improvement. All patients and accompanying family members attending the MDT clinic at Sheffield Children’s Hospital between November 2023 and May 2024 (n=242 attendances) were invited to complete a 15-item feedback questionnaire covering access, consultation quality, communication, self-management confidence, psychosocial support and environmental factors. Responses were coded numerically (−2 to +2), summed and normalised to a percentage scale. Quality improvement methodology was applied to analyse results against a Trust-defined benchmark of 82.5% and identify SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) improvement targets. 49 questionnaires were returned (20.2% response rate). High satisfaction was reported for consultation time and clinician responsiveness (100%), staff professionalism (94%) and clarity of management instructions (90%). Domains falling below benchmark included appointment scheduling (77.6%), waiting times (81.6%), communication with primary care (78.6%), self-management confidence (80.6%) and transition planning (66%). Based on the baseline results, we subsequently implemented SMART-based interventions, including nurse-led triage, pharmacist-led medication reviews and structured transition pathways. Early feedback suggested improved coordination and reduced waiting times. Families value MDT outpatient care in paediatric IBD, particularly in-clinic interactions and clarity of care. Persistent gaps in access, primary care coordination and transition planning highlight opportunities for targeted improvement. Integrating patient-reported experience with structured quality-improvement frameworks provides a pragmatic approach to enhancing service delivery and benchmarking outcomes.
Dipasquale et al. (Wed,) studied this question.