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Chamber and committees

Improving Access to Faecal Calprotectin Tests for Early Diagnosis of IBD

  • Submitted by: Pauline McNeill, Glasgow, Scottish Labour.
  • Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2025
  • Motion reference: S6M-18052

That the Parliament considers that the availability of faecal calprotectin tests is vital to the early diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); recognises that faecal calprotectin tests enable primary care practitioners to distinguish between patients with inflammatory and non-inflammatory bowel conditions such as IBD and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); acknowledges that this distinction allows primary care practitioners to triage and manage patients more effectively, and mitigates unnecessary referrals to secondary care, reducing pressure on endoscopy services; understands that faecal calprotectin tests are not available in primary care in 30% of Scottish NHS boards; believes that the Scottish Government must work with NHS boards to secure access to faecal calprotectin tests across Scotland to improve the early diagnosis of IBD and reduce costs for the NHS; agrees that access to faecal calprotectin tests across Scottish NHS boards should be monitored to ensure universal provision; acknowledges what it sees as the importance of implementing the national primary care diagnostic pathway for lower gastrointestinal symptoms to ensure that people with IBD have a streamlined pathway to diagnosis, including access to faecal calprotectin and other tests, at the right time, and supports the implementation of the pathway in accordance with motion S6M-16707.


Supported by: Jeremy Balfour, Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Katy Clark, Annabelle Ewing, Kenneth Gibson, Dr Pam Gosal MBE, Dr Sandesh Gulhane (Registered interest) , Paul O'Kane, Paul Sweeney, Tess White, Brian Whittle