Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when NHS England will publish its planned assessment of adherence to Excellence in Continence Care and its pandemic recovery and restoration plans.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England will consider next steps on Excellence in Continence Care through its National Bladder and Bowel Health Project. Integrated care boards lead on plans for pandemic recovery and restoration plans, including for continence services.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve continence services through the National Bladder and Bowel Health Project.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Project’s objectives are to improve continence care and to further research and implement recommendations from ‘Excellence in Continence Care’, published in 2018. The Project will meet in December to evaluate progress on bladder and bowel pathways and to consider next steps.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the availability of continence products for unpaid carers; and what steps he is taking to review financial support for that purpose.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
No specific assessment has been made. In July 2018, NHS England published ‘Excellence in Continence Care’ which collates evidence-based resources and research for guidance for commissioners, providers, health and social care staff, which is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/excellence-in-continence-care/
NHS England is planning an assessment of adherence to ‘Excellence in Continence Care’, and its pandemic recovery and restoration plans include continence services. NHS England has also established the National Bladder and Bowel Health Project to improve continence care.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the level inflation on the affordability of continence products for unpaid carers.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
No specific assessment has been made. In July 2018, NHS England published ‘Excellence in Continence Care’ which collates evidence-based resources and research for guidance for commissioners, providers, health and social care staff, which is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/excellence-in-continence-care/
NHS England is planning an assessment of adherence to ‘Excellence in Continence Care’, and its pandemic recovery and restoration plans include continence services. NHS England has also established the National Bladder and Bowel Health Project to improve continence care.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will (a) set out the timeframe for the NHS Supply Chain’s National Bladder and Bowl Health Project and (b) provide details of which stakeholders have been consulted in respect of that project.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
NHS England established the National Bladder and Bowel Health Project to improve continence care, to further research and implement recommendations from ‘Excellence in Continence Care’ published in 2018. The Project is currently developing bladder and bowel care pathways to be shared with stakeholders, which was paused due to the pandemic. However, a timeframe has not been agreed and no stakeholders have been consulted with as yet.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what NHS support is available for family carers looking after relatives with continence problems.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
Those with continence problems or their carers should request a full assessment from their general practitioner directly or through a referral to a specialist service. ‘Excellence in Continence Care’ provides further information on access to services and is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/excellence-in-continence-care/
The National Bladder and Bowel Program is developing evidence-based service pathways to support a consistent approach to continence services and provide a framework.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what policy framework is guiding NHS (a) performance and (b) quality improvement for continence services.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The National Bladder and Bowel Project is developing evidence-based pathways to support a consistent approach to continence services and will provide a framework for services. NHS England’s ‘Excellence in Continence Care’ provides guidance to enables commissioners, including local authorities, to collaborate with providers and others to improve the care and experience of patients with continence issues.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that every local authority and health authority has a local continence pathway in place.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
NHS England has established The National Bladder and Bowel Health Project to improve continence care across the whole health and care system. The Project has a specific remit to look at clinical standards for bladder, bowel, paediatrics and stoma care pathways and is in the process of developing evidence-based service pathways to support a consistent approach to continence services.
The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act (2007) requires Clinical Commissioning Groups and local authorities to develop a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment of the health and well-being of their local community. NHS England’s Excellence in Continence Care provides a framework that enables commissioners, including local authorities, to work in collaboration with providers and others to improve the care and experience of patients with continence issues.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department plans to use the National Bladder and Bowel Health Project and the 2018 Excellence in Continence Care guidance to inform the development of clinical standards and pathways.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The National Bladder and Bowel Health Project was paused at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has now recommenced and is in the process of developing pathways in bladder and bowel care.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to increase the affordability of incontinence items.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for the commissioning of continence services.
Individuals who have bladder or bowel continence problems should seek help from their general practitioner and a referral to specialist bladder and bowel continence services for assessment and treatment. These specialist services aim to help patients regain continence, improve quality of life and to reduce reliance on products. Incontinence appliances such as catheters and stoma items are provided by prescription, although absorbent incontinence products are not. For those people who require incontinence products, eligibility and numbers of products which are provided free of charge are decisions for individual trusts.
Individuals who apply for Personal Independent Payments (PIPs) or Attendance Allowance should list bladder and bowel continence problems as this will be taken into consideration when allocating payments to help with the cost of products.