Treating giant pandas: an unusual advanced role for the gastroenterologist
Giant pandas are captivating animals with worldwide interest. Their distinctive colour, furriness and slow, swaggering, lifestyle may be some of the reasons why people love them (Figure 1 A-C). Fewer than 1900 pandas remain in their natural habitats according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. However, in 2016, as a major success of conservation efforts, the IUCN announced a downgrading of the protection status of the giant panda from ‘Endangered’ to ‘Vulnerable’.
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Figure 1 Giant pandas (A–C) and Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (D,E).
Practical advice and key actions in new GIRFT handbook for optimising the care of patients with IBD
NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme has developed a new handbook pulling together examples of innovative practice, practical advice and key actions to help optimise the care of NHS patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
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We are introducing member voting for the next BSG President-Elect
The BSG introducing an important change to the way we select our future President. From 2026, members will have the opportunity to vote for the President-Elect as part of a new pilot election process designed to increase transparency, strengthen governance, and enhance member engagement.
BSG Member Professor Alan Lobo Shortlisted for National Leadership Award
Professor Alan Lobo, Consultant Gastroenterologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Professor of Gastroenterology at the University of Sheffield, and a longstanding member of the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG), has been named a finalist for Clinical Leader of the Year at the 2025 Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards.