Bladder and Bowel Specialist Service

Our Specialist Bladder and Bowel Service is in high demand. More people are being sent to us for treatment.

This means that some people will need to wait longer for an appointment. This is because we are seeing people based on their clinical need.

While people are waiting for their appointment, they can visit the ERIC website for children and young people or the Bladder and Bowel UK (BBUK) website for adults.

We expect to continue working in this way until October 2024.

About the service

The service provides professional advice, guidance and information on the management of bladder and bowel continence.

The service also provides treatment of faecal and urinary incontinence including enuresis and related bladder and bowel problems in children and adults.

The service is based from St Austell Community Hospital. Clinics are provided from community hospital outpatient departments or health clinics.

What the service provides?

We believe that everyone has the right to be content whenever this is achievable. We will work with other healthcare professionals to ensure you get the best help available.

Accidental leakage from the bladder or bowel (incontinence) is very common. There are many types of incontinence, such as:

  • having to rush to the toilet and not always getting there in time
  • wetting yourself when you cough, sneeze or jump (stress incontinence)
  • wetting the bed (adults or children)
  • leaking from the bowel

If you suffer from one or more of these, please make an appointment with your GP. To help you identify your symptoms, complete a bladder and/or a bowel symptom profile, you can take this with you to your GP appointment. On occasions, it may be necessary to refer you to other services.

Service information

Referrals

If you have a question about indwelling urinary catheterisation, email the team or call us on 01726 873 095.

We do not accept referrals for product orders or fitting.

Please arrange a pre and post void scan if the following symptoms present:

  • hesitancy to void
  • intermittent or weak flow
  • straining to void
  • feeling of incomplete emptying
  • recurrent urinary tract infection

You could also consider a referral for an ultrasound of the kidneys, ureter, and bladder.

The service expects that any red flag bladder or bowel symptoms will have been escalated to the relevant team prior to making this referral.

Self-referrals

Professionals