A new updated Excellence in Continence Care guide has been published, promoting equal access to services and treatment for all. It is applicable to all children, young people, adults and the elderly, taking into account their diverse needs from assessment, diagnosis and treatment to recovery where possible. The purpose is to promote consistent practice, improve the experiences of people with continence needs, drive advances in clinical outcomes and reduce health inequalities.

It brings together evidence based resources and research and provides a practical means for commissioners to understand continence needs within their local population, as well as specify and contract for continence services, effectively measure outcomes and experience and work towards reducing health inequalities.

The 2018 version includes the following changes:

• Links to NICE guidance, updates to references and signposting to useful resources
• New sections on transition, care homes and a greater focus on bowel care and primary care
• New examples of good practice.

Case studies

In addition to case studies referenced in the 2018 guide, additional examples are listed below:

• In Cornwall, telehealth has helped patients and carers become more aware of the signs and symptoms of urinary tract infections, as Sharon Eustice, Nurse Consultant for Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s Bladder and Bowel Specialist Service explains.
• As part of the Sutton Home of Care vanguard’s work to make communication between health and care professionals easier, a catheter care pack has been rolled out across Sutton care homes to encourage catheter independence and enhance people’s overall catheter knowledge.
• Maths teacher and patient advocate, Jacq Emkes, describes how her life has been impacted by continence and her journey to find the treatment, since a hysterectomy operation in 2009.
• South London Health Innovation Network is working to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections by 30 per cent by 2017 and improve patient wellbeing and recovery. Specialist Nurse, Tiziana Ansell, describes the work going on across emergency departments in South London.
• Growing up with bladder problems led Chloe to pursue a career as a continence nurse. She shares her story of overcoming stigma while at university and how a visit to one GP opened a new world.