Online continence audit

Published: 19 September 2012

If you want to know the headline findings from the Royal College of Physicians’ 2010 audit, titled RCP: incontinence causing a 'life sentence' of suffering, there is a well-written report available via a link from its web page. It provides a lot of information and suggestions for the way forward, including useful information to use with commissioners.

There are also other links on the RCP webpages, including the patient information booklet Keeping control – what you should expect from your NHS Bladder and Bowel Service, and the All Parliamentary Group's Cost-effective commissioning for continence care document. Take a look, it’s well worth it.

The RCP has also just reported back to the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) on the results of its pilot audit. As part of the working group representing the RCN, I must say it has done a great job of making it educational and much easier to complete, with the added feature of being able to provide instant feedback. I can see a lot of potential for persuading care homes in particular to use it (they would have their own tailored audit webtool). This will hopefully improve continence promotion and, who knows, they might require fewer products? Visit the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership website. Keep it as favourite link and get the updates as they are published.

Steven Miles, Continence Care Forum Chair