The Burdett Institute is building a research programme focused on patient care and nursing roles. We are committed to increasing the research capacity in Gastrointestinal Nursing and allied professions by a programme of high-quality projects linked to our central theme of improving the lives of people with gut disorders. Currently we are working on four main themes:

Nurse-led management of gut disorders

·Randomised controlled trial of management of radiation bowel damage. Julie DuncanPhD study (jointly with Dr Jervoise Andreyev, Royal Marsden Hospital): Started September 2007; funded by the Research for Patient Benefit Programme.

·Nurse led endoscopy bowel cancer screening. Maggie Vance: PhD study: This study is examining the workforce and training issues in delivering a nurse-led flexible sigmoidoscopy screening programme. Pilot completed, protocol and training programme developed.

·Reflexology versus biofeedback for chronic constipation. Sue Woodward: PhD study (funded by King’s College London). Pilot study completed; recruiting for main study.

·Self management of inflammatory bowel disease. Lisa Younge MSc project (with Kathy Whayman): funded by the St Mark’s Hospital Foundation.

·Nurse-led group education for patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease Christine Norton (with Professor Roger Jones, KCL). Recruiting autumn 2007. Funded by the Burdett Trust for Nursing.

·Patient education groups for functional bowel disorders Sonya Chelvanayagam and Julie Duncan.

Patient experience of gut disorders

·Restoring embodied control: a grounded theory study of recovery after curative colorectal surgery. Claire Taylor (Lecturer): PhD study. Supervised by Professors Alison Richardson and Sarah Cowley, KCL. PhD awarded 2007

·Narratives of women with faecal incontinence. Sarah Collings: PhD study: main study in progress

·Development of a patient-centred validated measure of faecal incontinence (funded by International Consultation on Incontinence). Nikki Gardener (jointly with BristolUniversity): PhD study. This questionnaire will form a module of the ICI questionnaire project, which is developing a series of standardised questionnaires for the assessment of lower pelvic dysfunction internationally. Due to submit PhD early 2008.

·Lived experience of constipation. Julie Duncan MSc thesis 2006.

·Patient experience of being sited for a stoma. Julia Williams (in progress).

·IMAGE project: participation in this project led by Professor Roger Jones to develop a quality outcomes framework for GI disorders in primary care based on patient perspectives.

·Effect of the menopause on bowel symptoms. Sonya Chelvanayagam. Community survey in Harrow.

Neurological bowel management

·Bowel management in spinal cord injury. Maureen Coggrave (with StokeMandevilleHospital): Full time PhD Fellowship funded by Action Medical Research for 3 years. Major survey of bowel problems following spinal cord injury; anorectal assessment of interventions; randomised controlled trial of a step-wise protocol for bowel management. PhD awarded December 2006.

·Randomised controlled trail of rectal evacuants in spinal cord injury Maureen Coggrave (with StokeMandevilleHospital): funded by INSPIRE and Spinal Cord Research Foundation.

·Rectal irrigation for constipation and faecal incontinence. Christine Norton. In progress. Funded by Coloplast Ltd.

·Bowel problems in people with multiple sclerosis. Sonya Chelvanayagam. Online and postal survey. Funded by the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Tissue repair and modification

·Development of materials to assist healing of anal fistula. Husilla Keshaw: Full time PhD Fellowship. Due to submit PhD autumn 2007. Funded by the Sir Halley Stewart Trust for 2004-7.

·Dr Jonny Blaker: Post-doctoral research fellow. Medical Research Council funded project in collaboration with the Eastman Dental Institute investigating the development of materials suitable for the repair of fistulae.

·Yasuko Maeda: a Japanese colorectal surgeon studying various aspects of the internal anal sphincter for her PhD, including injectable biomaterials, stem cell development and pharmacological interventions. Funding from SLA Pharma.

·Skin problems related to stoma management methods. Julia Williams. Funded by Salts Healthcare Ltd.