Continence Service
Accessing the Continence Service
What is incontinence?
Incontinence describes any accidental or involuntary loss of:
- urine/mimi (wee) from the bladder – known as urinary incontinence
- faeces/hamutu (poo) or flatus/patero (wind) from the bowel – known as faecal incontinence.
Incontinence can range in severity from a small leak to complete loss of bladder or bowel control.
What is the Continence Service?
- The Continence Service is a nurse-led service that works with patients aged over 16 who have urinary and/or faecal incontinence.
- The Continence Clinical Nurse Specialist will review your referral and, if accepted, will assess you, and discuss management strategies with you.
- An assessment is carried out via either clinic, a telephone clinic, a home visit, or zoom.
- This service is part of the District Nursing Service and is situated opposite the main entrance to the hospital.
What do we do?
- Assessment of urinary and faecal incontinence
- Annual reassessment
- Bladder retraining programmes
- Bladder and bowel management care and advice
- Education for patients/whanau/caregivers
- Consultation and advice on medication-induced incontinence
- Referral to a pelvic floor physiotherapist for assessment and treatment
- Liaison with General Practitioners, urology, gynaecology, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and dieticians as required.
- Advice on continence products and the supply of products according to the Ministry of Health criteria
Referral Process
You can be referred from your GP, Practice Nurse, or any other health professional as well as yourself or your family.
You will remain under the Continence Service as long as you are receiving products.
Continence Clinical Nurse Specialist: Maria Hurford
Contact Details
Monday - Friday (8am – 4.30pm)
Telephone: 07 3438706 or 027 629 9266
Email: continencecns@lakesdhb.govt.nz
Useful links
Continence information for adults
Continence information for children