Making the UK a more understanding place for people living with stomas

15 July, 2024

The dust has settled on the General Election result. We now have a new Labour government. Appointments that will be of interest to the stoma community include a new Health Secretary in Wes Streeting, and a new Minister for Housing, Communities & Local Government in Angela Raynor, while Karyn Smith has been appointed to the new role of Minister of Secondary Care, Andrew Gwynne MP has been appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary for Public Health and Prevention, while Stephen Kinnock is the new Minister for Social care.

There are also more MP’s than ever in Parliament who are aware of Colostomy UK and the work we do, and of the challenges people living with a stoma can face in both Health & Social Care settings, and when going about their daily lives.

We want to make sure that the new government is considering ostomates in their healthcare and infrastructure plans, and that they commit to making significant improvements to the care and support everyone receives, at all stages of life before and after stoma surgery.

Over the coming months we will be contacting those Members of Parliament with an interest in stomas, as well as reaching out to the newly appointed Ministers mentioned above, and the Department of Health & Social Care, and Department of Housing, Communities & Local Government to explain to explain what our asks are of the new Government, and evidencing why it is so important that they begin to take steps towards making the UK a more understanding place for people living with stomas.

Our asks are as follows.

Ensuring that people get the right information and advice, at the right time, and at the right stage of their stoma journey, including:

• A personalised care plan that is reviewed by a Stoma Nurse Specialist on a regular basis.
• Being offered an annual review by a Stoma Nurse Specialist in a clinical setting.

Making sure that people living with stomas have access to the facilities and resources they need, when and where they need them, such as:

• Access to the right stoma management products, at the right time, from the supplier of their choice, and free from commercial influence.
• Legislation to ensure local authorities provide a level of public toilet provision that ensures people living with stomas and other conditions do not face social exclusion and isolation.
• Stoma Friendly facilities in all new builds with accessible toilet provision.

You can play your part too. If you would like to contact your local MP to tell them about our asks, and why they are important to you, you can find out who they are and email them by visiting the website https://www.writetothem.com/ and entering your postcode.

Colostomy UK exists to make a positive difference to anyone impacted by any kind of stoma or stoma surgery.

To keep up to date with our campaigns you can follow us across our social media channels, or visit www.colostomyuk.org and sign up to our e-news,