Bladder and bowel service

Key Information

About our team

The Bladder and Bowel service provides specialist community-based management, advice and support for anyone 18 years or older with symptoms of bladder or bowel dysfunction who can attend a clinic setting or are residing in a residential care setting. We also run urinary catheter clinics for routine changes for patients that are not housebound.

We provide care that is evidence based and led by our clinical experience. We actively promote continence and manage incontinence by providing written information, education, treatment, management and support to patients, their carers and to trained healthcare staff responsible for their care.

Assessment and support can be given over the telephone or at face-to-face consultations at one of our bladder and bowel clinics. When an individual has been identified as having bladder and/or bowel problems, a comprehensive assessment will be completed by our team to identify the nature and extent of the problem/s. We will recommend and advise on an appropriate pathway of care. 

Containment products (pads, washables etc.) are only prescribed after a full assessment and to aid treatment or at the end of the treatment pathway. Our main aim is to improve your symptoms and enable you to maintain independence in your daily life with dignity and comfort.

All of our clinic appointments are held in private clinic rooms. After consultation with your clinician, they may offer you an examination. Due to the speciality of the clinic the examination offered may be an intimate one such as a genital or rectal examination. You will be able to discuss any examinations offered in detail with your clinician at your appointment and have the right to refuse at any time.

We are a friendly and supportive team so please do not suffer in silence!

Housebound patients

The bladder and bowel team does not see housebound patients. Please refer to neighbourhood nursing.

Reason for referral

We only accept referrals via our online referral form.

We accept referrals from a variety of healthcare professionals, including:

• GP's
• Consultants/registrars
• Midwives or health visitors
• Nurses
• Physiotherapists
• Acute wards/inpatient units
• Care/nursing homes

but we also accept 'self-referrals' meaning you can refer yourself directly to our service or a relative/carer can do so with your consent.

We accept referrals for a range of conditions including:

• Any individual with a bladder and bowel problem requiring assessment (who is not housebound)
• Urinary incontinence 
• Overactive bladders (including urgency and increased frequency of urination)
• Bowel urgency/incontinence
• Flatus incontinence
• Non- complex pelvic floor assessment and training
• Rectal sensation testing and retraining
• Bladder and bowel retraining
• Bladder diaries and fluid advice
• Constipation and healthy bowels advice
• Individuals with urinary catheters with routine catheter changes that can attend clinics.

Any individual who is housebound but has complex needs that requires more specialist assessment/intervention that cannot be managed by the neighbourhood nursing service - these referrals will be accepted from health care professionals only.

We do no accept referrals for the following:

Housebound patients - Please refer housebound patients to neighbourhood nursing service 

Blocked catheters - please contact the catheter SOS number via calling 01634 3828 28 and they will assess.

Residential homes (care and nursing homes)

Any patient in a Medway residential home. Nursing homes should complete their own assessment bundles and send it to us via email. Residential homes should complete the online referral form and forward the relevant diaries and forms via email. No assessments can be completed until all required documents are received fully completed.

If you have a blocked catheter please contact 0300 123 3444 and your call will be directed to the appropriate service.