• Continence Advisory Service
• Falls prevention
• Hearing loss
• Healthy ageing
• Keeping warm in winter
• Optical services
• A smile for life - mouth care
  
• Patient information about Whipps Cross University Hospital
• Discharge from hosptial
• Intermediate care
• Transitional care
• Residential care
• Deaths and bereavements
• Living with a terminal illness
• Planning for later life as a lesbian, gay man, bisexual or transgendered person
• Lesbian, gay and bisexual faith groups
• Adult protection
• Crime prevention
• Direct payments
• Helping you to get out and about
• Need help with shopping?
• Welfare Benefits

The Continence Advisory Service

What is Incontinence?

Incontinence is a problem which nobody likes to talk about. Losing control of the bladder or bowel often very distressing and embarrassing. Yet it can happen to almost anyone - young or old; men, women or children. It is thought that over 3 million people suffer from incontinence in the United Kingdom today, so even those who are not incontinent often have a relative or friend who has this problem.

There are many different types of incontinence - for example, bedwetting (which affects many adults as well as children); stress incontinence (leakage with coughing or laughing); urgency (having to rush to the lavatory) continuous dribbling; or bowel leakage. For many sufferers incontinence is curable and almost every one can be helped once the cause has been established. The first step should always be to get professional assessment and help. This can be from the family Doctor, the Continence Advisor or Community Nurse.

What does the Continence Advisory Service offer?

The Continence Advisory Service is a community based scheme that offers a comprehensive service to advise all residents and staff on up to date methods of maintaining and promoting continence. Initial continence assessments will usually be completed by your District Nurse who can be contacted by your General Practitioner.

The Continence Advisor who is a qualified nurse with Specialist knowledge in this field, is available to offer:

• Individual specialist assessment, advice and treatment in the Clinic or home setting if indicated.
• Education and advice to professional and voluntary associations.
• Information and a Resource Library providing up to date research.
• and a Resource Centre where aids appliances and equipment are on permanent display.

Who is the service available to?

The Continence Service provides help and advice to the following:

• Residential Homes
• Private Rest Homes
• Schools
• The Local Community for Waltham Forest
• All Health Professionals
• Voluntary Organisations
• Social Services

Telephone advice is available from the Continence Advisor. If she is not available at the time of your call, a message can be left stating name and telephone number on the answering machine. Callers will be contacted within three working days.

All calls will be treated in a sensitive, respectful and confidential manner.

How can you contact the service?

Either: By phoning one of the numbers below:
Continence Resource Centre
B7 Ward
Whipps Cross Univeristy Hospital
Whipps Cross Road
Leytonstone
London E11 1NR
Monday to Friday (9.00am - 5.00pm)
020 85539 5522
Direct Line: 020 8535 6907
Incontinence Pad Service
0800 072 9110

Or by referral via:
The General Practitioner
District Nurses, Health Visitor or any other Health Professional
Hospital Services
Social Services Departments

For more information about Continence, please go to: http://www.continence-foundation.org.uk/