University of Exeter and Royal Devon NHS Launch Study to Cut Delays in Diagnosing Crohn’s and Colitis

University of Exeter and Royal Devon NHS Launch Study to Cut Delays in Diagnosing Crohn’s and Colitis

(IN BRIEF) The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Exeter have launched the RAPID-IBD study to speed up diagnosis of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, conditions that affect 1 in 100 people in the UK. Supported by the ‘Know Your Sh*t’ campaign, the project invites volunteers aged 16–49 in the EX postcode area with unexplained gut symptoms to take part. Funded by NIHR and Crohn’s & Colitis UK, the study will test whether providing people with a simple stool test directly can help cut delays, which currently leave many patients waiting more than a year for diagnosis. Exeter City FC defender Jack Fitzwater shared his own experience of living with IBD, highlighting the need for faster identification and treatment. Clinicians and patient advocates stress that earlier diagnosis can improve quality of life, reduce hospitalisations, and avoid surgery.

(PRESS RELEASE) EXETER, 29-Sep-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Exeter have launched a major research study aimed at tackling delays in the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The RAPID-IBD study, supported by the national ‘Know Your Sh*t’ campaign, is calling on volunteers aged 16 to 49 living in the EX postcode area who are experiencing unexplained gut symptoms to take part.

IBD is the collective term for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, conditions that affect around one in every hundred people in the UK. Symptoms often include persistent abdominal pain, urgent diarrhoea, and blood in the stool, and the conditions typically last a lifetime. Yet despite their prevalence, many patients endure long waits for a diagnosis, with a quarter living with distressing symptoms for more than a year before being correctly identified.

Professional footballer Jack Fitzwater, a defender for Exeter City FC, knows the toll IBD can take. Reflecting on his own experience, he explained: “I was constantly going to the toilet. It impacted my football, my life outside the game, and my relationships. Until I finally received the right diagnosis and medication, I was stuck in a cycle of trying to cope but never really feeling well. Speeding up diagnosis will massively help people, especially younger people, to get the right treatment sooner. That’s why this campaign is so important.”

The RAPID-IBD study is investigating whether offering people a straightforward stool test directly can accelerate diagnosis and empower them to take greater control of their health. Researchers believe this approach could help reduce emergency hospital admissions, limit the need for invasive surgery, and significantly improve quality of life.

Dr Tariq Ahmad, Consultant Gastroenterologist at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, emphasised: “Early diagnosis and treatment can make a profound difference to outcomes for patients. By cutting the time to diagnosis, we can help people feel better sooner and reduce serious complications.”

Catherine Winsor, Director of Services & Evidence at Crohn’s & Colitis UK, added: “Too many people are waiting far too long for answers. Because the symptoms of Crohn’s and Colitis often overlap with other conditions, stool tests could be a real game-changer. The earlier people are diagnosed and treated, the sooner they can get back to living their lives.”

The project is funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Crohn’s & Colitis UK.

Anyone who has experienced the symptoms described is encouraged to participate by visiting: https://redcap.exe.nhs.uk/surveys/?s=LXMMFJFAWE4AKMH9

Media contact:
pressoffice@exeter.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Exeter