FOI/2025/26/283

Your request:

 

Continence care is a critical component of children’s health and wellbeing. National guidance, including the Children’s Continence Commissioning Guide and the Consensus Document for the Provision of Continence Containment Products to Children and Young People, highlights the importance of accessible, multidisciplinary services that meet assessed clinical need and promote independence. 

Under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), we would be most grateful if you could provide answers to the following questions regarding your Trust’s children’s continence and/or bladder and bowel services. We kindly request responses to the following questions: 

1.                  Does your Trust currently provide a children’s continence and/or bladder and bowel service for individuals aged 0–19 years? (Yes/No)  

If yes, please provide:  

· The name of the service (if applicable).  

· The age range it covers.  

· The staff roles or disciplines included in the service (e.g. nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist).  

· The number of staff in each role, expressed as whole-time equivalent (WTE).  

· The service’s referral pathway (e.g. GP, school nurse, self-referral).  

 

2.                  Has your Trust closed, reduced, or restructured any part of its children’s continence and/or bladder and bowel service within the past three years (since October 2022)? (Yes/No)  

If yes, please provide:  

· The date of closure or reduction.  

· A brief description of what changed (e.g. staffing, eligibility criteria, service capacity).  

 

3.                  How many children and young people aged 0–19 are currently being supported by your adult continence service for pad provision? Please provide the number of individuals currently recorded in this category.  

 

4.                  What is the average waiting time (in weeks) for an initial assessment on the children’s continence service? Please provide the current number of children and young people (aged 0–19) on the waiting list for this service.  

 

5.                  Does your Trust follow the relevant NICE guidelines for continence care and management? Please indicate Yes or No for each  

· Children’s Continence Commissioning Guide: A handbook for the commissioning and running of children’s community continence services  

· Guidance for the provision of continence containment products to children and young people - A consensus document      

 

 

 

Our response:

 

1. Does your Trust currently provide a children’s continence and/or bladder and bowel service for individuals aged 0–19 years? (Yes/No) 

               If yes, please provide:  Yes

· The name of the service (if applicable).  Brent Child Bladder and Bowel Service

· The age range it covers. 5-18 (19 if attending a special school)

· The staff roles or disciplines included in the service (e.g. nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist).  Band 7 Specialist Nurse, band 6 bladder and bowel nurse, band 4 nursery nurse

· The number of staff in each role, expressed as whole-time equivalent (WTE).  3 WTE

· The service’s referral pathway (e.g. GP, school nurse, self-referral).  All healthcare professionals, no self-referral

 

2. Has your Trust closed, reduced, or restructured any part of its children’s continence and/or bladder and bowel service within the past three years (since October 2022)? (Yes/No)  No

               If yes, please provide: 

· The date of closure or reduction.  N/A

· A brief description of what changed (e.g. staffing, eligibility criteria, service capacity).  N/A

 

3. How many children and young people aged 0–19 are currently being supported by your adult continence service for pad provision? Please provide the number of individuals currently recorded in this category.  One child who will be turning 5 soon and will move onto the new service caseload for pads

 

4. What is the average waiting time (in weeks) for an initial assessment on the children’s continence service? Please provide the current number of children and young people (aged 0–19) on the waiting list for this service.  No waiting list due to it being a new service, appointments are currently being offered when a referral is received.

 

5. Does your Trust follow the relevant NICE guidelines for continence care and management? Please indicate Yes or No for each  Yes

· Children’s Continence Commissioning Guide: A handbook for the commissioning and running of children’s community continence services 

· Guidance for the provision of continence containment products to children and young people - A consensus document