First line dietary & lifestyle advice

Welcome to the dietetic led IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) service here at Bradford Teaching Hospitals. We want to guide you through how our service works, why self-triage matters, and how we create a personalised plan to help you manage your IBS.

IBS is a condition that affects the digestive system. It’s a functional disorder where the gut looks normal, but its function is disrupted. This can make IBS difficult to diagnose. You can find out lots more about IBS on our dedicated patient information page using the About IBS button below:

The importance of self-triage

Please watch the film in this section to understand why the self-triage process is so important and what you need to do.

How do I access the form?
  • Get a link in a text or email after being referred.
  • Click it, put in your details, get a code.
  • Log in to fill out the form on Doctor Doctor.
What if I don't receive a link?
  • If you can’t finish or do not receive the form, tell us or you might be discharged.
  • If you need help, call the number on this site.
  • If you are without online access, we can mail the form with a prepaid return envelope.
What does the self-triage help to find out?

It collects key information about your gut health:

  • Symptom duration and severity
  • Red flags like blood in stools or weight loss
  • Details about bowel habits

It explores medical history:

  • Includes procedures like colonoscopies

It considers the impact of your gut symptoms on daily life:

  • Work, school, activities, social life

It helps tailor an approach to care:

  • Examines dietary behaviours, triggers, past management efforts

Attending the clinics

We want to tell you about the clinics we run and how to access these. The film will explain what happens at a clinic. Use the drop down panels below to find out more details

Face to face clinics
  • Your appointment letter has the date, time, and place.
  • You can also find the appointment location on this microsite.
  • If it doesn’t suit you, call us as soon as possible to reschedule.
  • Bring the letter to your appointment.
Telephone consultations
  • We’ll aim to contact you within 1 hour of your scheduled time.
  • Set aside at least 1 hour for the appointment.
  • Be in a suitable location and avoid distractions like shopping, work, or driving during the call.

If you miss your phone or in-person appointment without letting us know, we’ll have to discharge you back to your GP as per Trust policy.

Individualised diet care plan

Let us help you to manage your IBS with an individualised diet care plan. Typically there are four standard appointments to create a structured treatment plan. This is what we look at with each:

Initial appointment
  • Helps understand your condition better.
  • Tailors our approach to your needs.
  • The pre-assessment form you complete beforehand gathers important information for a more effective assessment.
Follow-up appointments
  • Track your progress.
  • Adjust recommendations as needed.
  • Provide ongoing support.
  • Address any new concerns you may have.
Completing the post-assessment form after your last appointment
  • Receive a link via text or email upon discharge.
  • Helps us understand how we’ve assisted you.
  • Gathers feedback for ongoing service improvement.

More advice

Our guide to the ‘perfect poo’

Our library of IBS advice

Contact information

We value your feedback

We hope you have found the films and advice useful.

To help us to continuously improve our service, please give us your feedback.