Continence concerns
We want to change that. We are working with Up For Yorkshire, Second Chance Ostomy Yorkshire, Everyday Enable, Tadcaster Volunteer Cars and Services Association, and North Yorkshire Council to investigate all things continence.
The aim is to better understand the issues people are facing and to start to talk more about bladder and bowel health to break the stigma.
What does this involve?
This project included mapping existing services, hearing from people with and without continence issues and from healthcare professionals. We ran three surveys:
- One for people who have experienced continence (wee and poo) issues
- One for people who have had a child
- One for people who haven’t experienced any problems
What did we ask?
- What information would help you talk about continence issues with healthcare professionals, friends, family or others
- What information would help you to identify if you have an issue
- If you have had problems, what support and treatment did you get and did it help? This could be via your GP or specialist community or hospital services
- What is missing and what support would you like to see?
- What services are working
- What else should we be investigating?
What happens next?
Our findings will form the basis of a report and recommendations to get us talking about continence, to improve services across North Yorkshire, but also to ensure support is there for people experiencing problems but also their family and friends.
A report will be produced in May 2023. It will highlight the need for more information across the board to support everyone to have better bladder and bowel health as well as to help those with issues.
