Why is it important?

Moving between paediatric and adult care (known as ‘transition’) can be a difficult time for young people and their families.

That’s why it’s so essential for healthcare providers to have a clear, structured transition programme in place. Without one, patients can face worse clinical outcomes¹. With one, they, their families and clinicians all benefit – through stronger patient engagement and greater control over their condition.

Transition is an individual experience, and one that requires shared decision-making and flexible timings. Healthcare professionals can improve the way they manage this critical event for teenagers and young adults, through a well-planned transition programme that involves key named MDT members and joint clinics, led by a paediatric and/or adult gastroenterologist.

There has been significant improvement in the number of paediatric services who reported having a structured transition programme in place, between 2019 and 2023. 100% of services responding to the 2023 Service Self-Assessment confirmed having a transition programme, compared to 73% in 2019. However, results from the 2023 Patient Survey suggest there is a lot of work to be done to help patients feel the benefits. According to those who transitioned from paediatric services within the last two years, only 11% reported having a named coordinator, 12% reported having an individual transition plan, 38% reported having joint clinics between the paediatric team and members of the adult IBD services, and 42% were given information about what to expect from their transition. Almost four in ten (38%) recently transitioned adults reported receiving none of this information.

Supporting resources

• • European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation Topical Review on Transitional Care in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
  • NICE guideline: Transition from children’s to adults’ services for young people using health or social care services
  • Case study: Development of the first paediatric to adult transition service for all young people with chronic gastrointestinal (GI) conditions[NW1] [ru2]
  • CICRA provides support for young people, families and healthcare professionals
  • Crohn’s & Colitis UK has a transition guide aimed at young people moving to adult care
  • UK guideline on transition of adolescent and young persons with chronic digestive diseases from paediatric to adult care - Gut
  • ¹Transition of young people from children’s into adults’ services: what works for whom and in what circumstances – protocol for a realist synthesis - BMJ Open