About the Adult Bladder and Bowel Service
The Bladder and Bowel Service is a nurse-led specialist service providing assessment, advice, treatment and support for people experiencing bladder, bowel and continence concerns. Our aim is to work with you to identify the causes of your symptoms and develop an individualised treatment plan that supports your health, wellbeing and quality of life.
Waiting times
Due to the high demand for the service, there may be a waiting period of up to 18 weeks before your first appointment. Referrals are prioritised according to clinical need. Please note that this is not an emergency service.
If your symptoms significantly deteriorate whilst awaiting assessment, please contact your GP or the healthcare professional currently involved in your care.
Do you still require an appointment?
If your symptoms improve, your circumstances change, or you feel that you no longer require an assessment, please contact the service to let us know. This will allow us to offer appointments to other patients who may be waiting for support. Call us on 0151 514 2222 (select option 1).
What to expect
At your first appointment, you will receive a comprehensive holistic assessment. This will include discussion around:
- Your bladder and/or bowel symptoms
- Medical history and current medications
- Lifestyle factors, including diet and fluid intake
- Mobility and functional abilities
- Skin health and personal care needs
- The impact your symptoms may be having on your daily life
Following the assessment, an agreed treatment plan will be developed with you, focusing on achieving the best possible outcome for your individual needs.
Your participation
Successful management of bladder and bowel symptoms often requires active participation. Patients accessing the service are expected to engage with the assessment process and any agreed treatment plan, which may include lifestyle advice, bladder or bowel retraining programmes, pelvic floor exercises, monitoring charts, medication reviews, or other therapeutic interventions.
The primary aim of the service is to assess, treat and support the management of bladder and bowel symptoms wherever possible. Continence products are considered part of the overall management plan and are not automatically provided following referral
Continence products
- Patients are required to self-purchase appropriate continence products whilst awaiting assessment (see websites below).
- Provided continence products are only considered following a clinical assessment and where they are deemed clinically appropriate.
- The service does not provide products before an assessment has been completed.
- Where products are clinically indicated, provision generally begins with moderate absorbency products, in line with local eligibility criteria and individual assessed need.
- Any products supplied will form part of a wider treatment and management plan and will be reviewed regularly.
Further information
Please attend your appointment at the scheduled date and time. If you are unable to attend, please contact the service as soon as possible so that your appointment can be rearranged.
We understand that bladder and bowel symptoms can have a significant impact on everyday life. Our team is committed to providing compassionate, person-centred care and working alongside you to identify the most appropriate management options for your individual needs.
If you require continence products whilst waiting to be assessed by the Bladder and Bowel Service, these can be purchased independently from a range of retailers and suppliers. The websites below provide a variety of products suitable for different levels of bladder leakage:
