Bladder and Bowel (Continence) Service
An estimated 14 million people in the UK live with some issue of bladder or bowel control (incontinence), and only 1 in 8 people seek help.
There are treatments which can improve and often cure symptoms of incontinence, prolapse, pelvic pain, or constipation.
We’re a team of pelvic health physiotherapists and continence nurse specialists, who offer support if you have any bladder of bowel concerns at any point in life including post-natal care, menopause, and beyond.
You do not need to be incontinent to receive treatment from us.
There are many things which can affect your ability to control your bladder and bowel.
It could be that you’re recovering from surgery, or you’re living with a health condition which makes it difficult to know when you need to use the toilet.
We can help improve your situation and self-confidence if you feel that you go to the toilet too often, or that your bladder or bowels are limiting your lifestyle.
Depending on your needs, we can offer treatments for:
- Bladder and bowel incontinence
- Pelvic floor muscle weakness or tightness
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Pelvic pain
- Constipation/incomplete emptying
- Urinary frequency and urgency – including overactive bladder syndrome
- Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome
- Vaginal pain including vaginismus and vulvodynia
- Perineal and episiotomy scar issues
- Post-prostatectomy advice and support
- Neurogenic bladder
- Teaching of Intermittent Self-catheterisation
- Advice and strategies to support long-term continence issues including Neobladder and Mitrofanoff
You can find more information about urinary and faecal incontinence, including causes and symptoms, on the NHS website.
Visit NHS website to read about Urinary Incontinence (opens new tab)
Visit NHS website to read about Bowel Incontinence (opens new tab)
Visit NHS website to read about Constipation (opens new tab)
Referrals
Please ask your GP for a referral to our service, to make sure they know about your situation.
Once you’ve been referred to us and you’re next on the waiting list, we’ll send some forms for you to complete and ask you to call or email to book your appointment.
We offer various clinics across Berkshire, and on occasions we may assess on a call.
We may offer our online class which covers treatment techniques to help you while you wait for your first appointment.
Here are examples of our Bladder and Bowel diaries, which can help us better understand your situation.
Read the Bladder and Bowel Diary(pdf)
Read Bowel Diary(pdf)
Contact us
If you have any questions, please contact our team
Email continence@berkshire.nhs.uk
Call Clinic 0118 904 6540 10am to 2pm, Tuesday to Thursday
Children and Young People (CYPF / CFAA) services
Please contact our Paediatric Continence service if you’re under 18, or looking for advice for a child or young person.
Children can be referred by a healthcare professional, or school nurse.
Your assessment with us will be in a secure and private environment with one of our specialists.
We will suggest treatments we think could improve your situation, such as:
- Pelvic floor muscle strengthening
- Bladder re-training
- Bowel re-training (defaecation dynamics)
- Fluid, dietary and lifestyle advice
- Advice on core strengthening/functional exercise programmes to help return to your normal level of physical activity
- Relaxation and mindfulness techniques for bladder and bowel urgency and pelvic pain
- Teaching of trans-anal irrigation
- Teaching of Intermittent Self-Catheterisation (ISC)
- Teaching of penile sheath application
- Provision of continence aids/products
If you are on our home delivery service and already have a supply of containment products ( pads) and you have a query or concern call:
Call 0118 904 6530 9am to 2pm, Monday to Friday.
Email continence@berkshire.nhs.uk
For any reorder of products call 0800 030 4466 (you will require your PIN – this is on the delivery note that is attached to your delivery box).
Visit the NHS website to read about Incontinence Products that may help you (new browser tab)
Visit the Bladder and Bowel UK website to read their Adult bowel care information library (new browser tab)
If you require catheter products and use our prescription service:
Call prescription team 0118 904 6520, 9am to 2.30pm, Monday to Friday
Email casprescriptionservice@berkshire.nhs.uk
Healthcare professionals/carers/patients will need to have their name, NHS number, date of birth, address and products required to be able to place an order.
If you have lost or have not been given a catheter ‘passport’. This can be completed when you next see your health care professional in clinic for a catheter change / by the district nurse if they attend your home.
Please can a look at these self help leaflets to see if there is some things you can do that might improve your own situation.
Read the Bladder and Bowel Diary (pdf)
Read Bowel Diary (pdf)
Read Incomplete Bladder Emptying guide (pdf)
Read Overactive Bladder guide (pdf)
Read Overactive Bladder and Retraining guide (pdf)
Read Pelvic Floor Exercises - Men (pdf)
Read Pelvic Floor Exercises - Women (pdf)
Perinatal care
Frimley NHS Trust has guides and videos for strengthening your pelvic floor if you've had a baby in the last 12 months
Resources Section
Urinary Incontinence
Bowel Incontinence
Incontinence products
Neurodiversity Passport
