Issue - meetings

Janet Spurling, Scrutiny Officer, submitted a report setting out the proposed context to the scrutiny review.

The award winning Continence Advisory Service provided clinical advice, support and treatment to people in Rotherham who experienced problems with bladder and bowel dysfunction.  The Service was responsible for supplying disposable absorbent products to eligible patients and prescribing all continence related equipment such as urinary catheters and drainage bags.  Staff also provided advice regarding bladder problems or whether Service users ought to be their product needs reviews.

Rotherham transferred the prescribing of continence appliances from GPs to the Community Continence Service in 2009 and was the only CCG/PCT to demonstrate a decrease in continence expenditure over the last 5 years.  In the period 2009-2013, continence prescribing costs in England increased by 21.56% whereas in Rotherham costs decreased by 8.99%.

It was proposed that the Service be subject to a focused spotlight review to examine current work and future plans to try and prevent or reduce urinary incontinence and to educate people that healthy lifestyles could also help to prevent incontinence.

Desired outcomes of the review would be:-

-          To ascertain the prevalence of urinary incontinence in the Borough and the impact it has on people’s independence and quality of life

-          To establish details of current continence services and costs and plans for future service development

-          To identify any areas for improvement in promoting preventative measures and encouraging people to have healthy lifestyles

Resolved:-  (1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That Councillor Vines be included on the review group.

(3)  That an e-mail be sent to those Members not present to ascertain if they wished to be part of the review group.