A Year in the Chair

Rebekah Hill 6 Dec 2024

Rebekah Hill reflects on her first year as Chair of the RCN Gastrointestinal Forum Committee.

The Gastrointestinal Forum Committee membership consists of seven dedicated and specialist nurses who are involved in all aspects of gastrointestinal care, including upper and lower GI surgery, gastroenterology, colorectal cancer, endoscopy, nutrition, liver care, IBD, functional and benign specialties, and are based on wards, clinics and specialist areas within adult acute care. There are members in the pharmaceutical industry, independent and private healthcare, working in education, clinical research, charitable organisations in addition to the NHS. Gastrointestinal Nursing is a diverse and wide-reaching specialty and so the forum membership reflects this – there is a complexity of GI/ Gastroenterology sub-specialties and subsequently the nursing role is varied, extensive and provides huge opportunity for career development.

The Forum Committee team meet every six weeks, usually at a mid-day break when we meet virtually, grab some lunch and share news from our sub specialties. The Forum is busy! The Forum Committee members are active peer reviewers for the Gastrointestinal Nursing Journal, appraising monthly contributions to the journals thriving portfolio of publications within GI nursing. In addition, regular GIN editorials and RCN Blogs are also authored by the Committee team, working on a monthly rota basis.

Amongst the remarkable full time careers the team maintain, are significant achievements which advance patient care within gastrointestinal nursing. The team work with various specialist gastrointestinal organisations to achieve credible and meaningful missions that boost gastrointestinal patient care. Some of the amazing projects this year include:

Providing accreditation to the National Colorectal Cancer Nurses conference.
Developing the RCN Professional Practice Framework for Nurses working in IBD Competency.
Presenting at the following conferences: National Colorectal Cancer Nurses Conference, British Liver Nurses Association and British Society of Gastroenterology.
Starting work on the 4th Edition of the Liver competencies.
Commencing work with paediatric gastro CNSs to develop Paediatric Gastro IBD competencies.
Commencing support work for the Best practice pathway led by the ASCN, first meeting was on 2 December.
Attending RCN Congress.
Supporting successful endorsement of ‘Practice recommendations for midwives caring for women and birthing people living with IBD’ developed by a multidisciplinary group of HCPs including midwives, IBD nurses (Forum members), clinicians, GPs and patients.
Contributing to a working party of IBD CNS and researchers on an IBD Advice Line project.

More exciting and ambitious plans are in store for 2025 – so please watch this space and join us in the RCN Gastrointestinal Forum.

It is a privilege to work as the Chair amongst such specialist clinicians, dedicated in their strive to enhance the profile of gastrointestinal nursing and improve care within the speciality - I feel I am truly walking with giants.

Rebekah Hill

RCN Gastrointestinal Nursing Forum Steering Committee Member

Senior Lecturer

Rebekah is a Senior Lecturer within the School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia. She has worked as a nurse in medical and gastroenterology settings for many years. Her current role involves both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching across a range of professions; student supervision, clinical link work, module organisation as well as being the Course Director for the Acute Critical and Emergency Care BSc pathway.