Healthy Ability Passports
22 April, 2026
Colostomy UK has partnered with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to develop a ‘Health Ability Passport’. Our Community Liaison Lead, Shauna Ann, tells us about the scheme and where the novel idea came from.
In a nutshell, what are ‘Health Ability Passports’?
The Health Ability Passport has been created for nurses who live with a stoma. The idea came from the RCN’s [HB1.1]UK Professional Lead for Long-Term Conditions, Callum Metcalfe-O’Shea and Disability Officer and Operational Lead, Holly Chadd. It is a form designed to help the RCN’s members have meaningful discussions with their employers about their condition, to ease them back into their nursing roles while avoiding unnecessary challenges in the workplace.
Where did the idea come from?
I met Callum at the Best Practice conference in 2024. Callum. We spoke about how limited stoma awareness is within certain healthcare environments. From this conversation, he invited us to speak at the RCN’s Long Term Conditions Conference, with a speciality focus on gastrointestinal care, taking place in 2026. [SU2.1]
We have continued to work together since then. For instance, we invited Colostomy UK volunteer, Linda Griffiths[HB3.1], to attend the RCN’s ‘Long-Term Health Condition Updates’ webinar. Linda is both an ostomate and a nurse, so instantly proved herself the perfect person to provide feedback into the draft version of RCN’s Health Ability Passport.
Callum and Holly had the vision and led the creation of the ‘passport’, while our team at Colostomy UK provided feedback along the way.
Why is the scheme needed within the nursing sector?
Our research suggests that non-specialist GPs and ward nurses (i.e. doctors and nurses who don’t work in the field of stoma care) are more likely to deliver care deemed ‘Poor’ or ‘Very Poor’ to those with stomas.
At Colostomy UK, we of course want to ensure that all clinical staff receive greater stoma-related training so that their patients have a better experience.
By extension, Callum realised that nurses who also happen to be ostomates, may be working under clinical managers who don’t therefore have a thorough understanding of stomas or the needs of ostomates. Both Callum and our team at Colostomy UK wanted to address this.
Could it be used in other sectors beyond nursing?
This is definitely a possibility. We will be watching the success of RCN’s initiative with keen interest, as there is certainly a need; our research shows that just 14.5% of people disclosed living with a stoma to their employer. [HB4.1]
We hope that RCN’s Health Ability Passport will give more people the confidence to inform their employers that they are living with a stoma, so that they can get the additional support they might need in the workplace.
For any nurses living with a stoma, who might be reading this, where can the Health Ability Passport be found?
The Health Ability Passport is now live and available at: Long Term Conditions. Peer Support Service. RCN.[HB5.1]
Alternatively you can search ‘Long Term Conditions. Peer Support Service. RCN’ in your web browser
If you would like further advice on returning to work, you can:
Contact our staff and volunteers with lived experience via:
- Our stoma helpline: 0800 328 4257
- Email: hello@colostomyuk.org
You can also click on our website hyperlink: Returning To Work
Or search ‘Colostomy UK Returning to Work’ in your web browser
