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Bladder and Bowel Continence Care

29 June 2023

Lead MP

Andrew Selous
South West Bedfordshire
Con

Responding Minister

Will Quince

Tags

NHSEmploymentMental Health
Word Count: 8765
Other Contributors: 3

At a Glance

Andrew Selous raised concerns about bladder and bowel continence care in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key Requests to Government:

The Minister should commit to conducting a comprehensive updated audit of continence care services. Additionally, the NHS should increase the number of specialist continence nurses and provide more education courses for both stoma and urology continence nurses. The APPG requests basic training in bladder and bowel continence for nurses and midwives and mandates it in medical, nursing, and physiotherapy curriculums.

How the Debate Unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:

Lead Contributor

South West Bedfordshire
Opened the debate
There are 14 million people with bladder problems and 6.5 million with bowel issues in England. These conditions can cause significant social isolation, depression, and impact quality of life. The last full audit was conducted by the Royal College of Physicians in 2010. There is an urgent need for an up-to-date audit to assess service provision, identify regional gaps, and benchmark improvements. Many people wait five years or more before seeking medical advice due to embarrassment.

Government Response

Will Quince
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Graham. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for South West Bedfordshire on securing this important debate and paying tribute to campaigners such as the Urology Foundation. NHS England has established the national bladder and bowel health project to improve continence care and published 'Excellence in Continence Care' as a practical guide. The minister acknowledges concerns about the implementation of the continence care guidelines, promising to raise them with the Minister for Social Care. On May 9th, NHS England published its delivery plan for recovering access to primary care, including proposals to improve options for community-based services to treat urinary tract infections through appropriately trained community pharmacists. NICE has produced guidance on managing faecal incontinence in adults, which is expected to be taken into account by healthcare professionals and commissioners. The updated national action plan on tackling antimicrobial resistance includes enhancing prevention of UTIs with early diagnosis and treatment of suspected or confirmed UTIs. NHS England has also published a service specification for bowel care for people with spinal cord injury. The medtech strategy aims to realise the potential of technology in improving patient outcomes and supporting the NHS workforce, focusing on value-based procurement. The minister commits to continuing support for providing a range of continence products in part IX of the drug tariff, ensuring equitable access for all patients. On public toilets and accessible facilities, including sanitary bins in men's toilets is an argument that will be raised with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The bladder and bowel CONfidence app has been referenced by a number of NHS trusts and medical centres, which the minister promises to look into promoting further. The Government's major conditions strategy considers needs of both men and women, acknowledging different approaches for treatment throughout life. Prostate cancer statistics show a considerable increase in diagnoses but only 51% were diagnosed at an early stage in 2021. NHS England has published its delivery plan to improve options for community-based services treating urinary tract infections with approximately £255 million annual spend on incontinence products from part IX items alone.
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy

About Westminster Hall Debates

Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.