When it comes to IBD care (and all healthcare in fact!), we know that children and young people cannot just be treated as small adults.
This is why we have created IBDmate for adults, and a completely individual IBDmate for children and young people.
In each version of IBDmate there is dedicated content, featuring paediatric and adult healthcare teams, and young patients and adult patients, filmed and written with its specific audience in mind.
IBDmate for adults currently focuses on supporting patients with their understanding of IBD, and the treatments they may encounter as part of their care. We do a deep-dive into 5-ASAs, steroids, immunomodulators, biologics and small molecule medicines, and other medicines and supplements that are often prescribed in IBD, such as iron, calcium and pain relief. We are planning and creating new content all the time to expand the library.
Hear from patients who share their own IBD stories and the experiences they have had.
Paediatric IBDmate contains a vast library of over 200 videos and articles, covering every IBD topic a young person (and their family) may wish to learn about. From ‘What is IBD?’, through tests and treatments, to the very important topic of mental health. Subjects are explained not only by experienced healthcare professionals, but from the perspective of young patients themselves.
Hear our young patients tell their own IBD stories. You can also hear from their families, sharing their personal perspectives on their young person’s diagnosis and care.
At the heart of IBDmate you’ll find our informative and engaging library of videos and written resources featuring the people patients trust - the healthcare professionals who deliver IBD care every day in centres across the UK. Each piece of content is designed to help patients understand their condition, treatment options, and day-to-day management.
IBDmate’s content is organised into guided learning pathways, combining videos, articles and interactive elements that take patients through each topic step by step. Courses are designed to build understanding progressively, helping patients feel confident at every stage of their journey.
The majority of IBDmate articles include videos featuring healthcare professionals, supported by accompanying written content.
Articles on medicines provide an in-depth overview of each treatment, presented in a structured and easy-to-navigate format, with the option to jump directly to specific areas of interest.
We’re aware that some of our medicine articles are long and contain a lot of information, so we’ve added ‘Quick guides’ - easy to read bullet points covering essential information at a glance.
Each article also signposts patients to other trusted resources such as Crohn’s & Colitis UK, NHS Patient Information Leaflets (PILs), ensuring patients have access to a full range of reliable information and support.
Learners can keep track of their progress and save articles to return to them later.
IBDmate’s notes option allows patients to add private notes to any article, recording thoughts to come back to, and questions as a prompt in appointments.
These notes can be downloaded as a PDF and printed to bring to clinic visits.
Notes are private to the individual and cannot be viewed by healthcare professionals or anyone else who doesn’t have access to the IBDmate account.
The most powerful insights often come from people who’ve lived it. Through our collection of patient stories, you can hear directly from individuals living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
These stories bring to life what it really means to manage IBD: navigating treatments, balancing work or study, maintaining relationships, and finding confidence again after flare-ups or surgery. Sharing about the emotional impact and mental health struggles that often go unseen; and the practical routines and small wins that make a big difference.
By learning from real experiences, you can gain reassurance that you’re not alone, discover ideas that might help in you, and see that every journey with IBD is different.
We have worked hard to make sure everything in IBDmate is clear and as easy to understand as possible. However, IBDmate information does contain medical words and terminology, so we’ve added a comprehensive glossary that explains all those terms in plain english.
Throughout IBDmate articles, glossary words are clearly highlighted, with drop down explanations for quick and easy understanding.
We know there will always be lots of questions. We have tried to answer as many of them as possible in an extensive FAQ section. We will be adding to this continuously.
Built-in survey tools make it easy to gather real-world insights from people living with IBD. Designed for clinical and research use, they help teams evaluate understanding, experience, and outcomes.
