Conference Overview

This innovative conference will address the profound impact of IBD on patients and the complex emotional impact on nurses working with IBD patients.

For almost 100 years, the Tavistock and Portman clinics have embodied a distinctive way of thinking about and understanding mental distress, emotional wellbeing and the links with the physical body. The Trust provides rich learning experiences that are based in the day to day of clinical work but provide an important opportunity to look beneath and beyond the surface presentation.

Key note speakers will include Julian Stern, Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy, who has spoken and published widely on the area of the psychological impact of IBD, including the impact on those working with IBD patients and Gareth Drake, Clinical Psychologist, whose expertise focuses on using Mindfulness within the clinical setting.

Aims

• To develop a greater understanding of the importance of ‘self-care’ for Nurses working within the IBD specialism and how this can benefit both themselves and the patients they work with
• To provide an opportunity to look at tools and techniques to achieve this within their own service
• To provide an opportunity to network with others and experience peer supervision

“I am delighted that the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust are hosting this conference, on a topic very close to my heart. For many years I have worked closely with dedicated and resourceful IBD nurses, and am aware of the extent to which they are often the professionals to whom IBD patients pour out their hearts, about the emotional consequences of living with IBD.

Whilst there is sometimes some psychological resource available for such patients, more often than not the IBD nurse and team have to carry this emotional load. This conference is dedicated to helping such nurses, and hopefully will contribute to further trainings in this critical area of need”

Julian Stern, Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy