The Urology Trade Association report in partnership with The Urology Foundation, the Spinal Injuries Association and Shine, highlights the challenges many people face in accessing care and support, and the need for continence services to keep pace with wider NHS reforms.

Chris Whitehouse, chairman of the Urology Trade Association, said: ‘By drawing on the lived experiences of people with continence conditions, this report reminds us of the ultimate goal of all healthcare reforms: improving outcomes for all patients, wherever they live across the country. As a trade association, the UTA is proud of the role industry plays in supporting continence care across the NHS, working in close and ongoing partnership with healthcare professionals and service providers.'

The report found variation in how continence care is delivered, accessed and reviewed across the UK, including:

• limited involvement in care decisions: nearly half of respondents reported little or no involvement in decisions about their continence care, with many stating they were not fully supported to discuss options or preferences
• unmet patient priorities: over a third of respondents said their personal priorities were not fully reflected in care planning, suggesting gaps in shared decision-making
• restricted product choice: many respondents reported limited choice of continence products
• limited clinical review: 83% of respondents reported not having had a clinical review of their continence products in the past year, indicating that ongoing reassessment is not consistently embedded in care
• impact on daily life and wellbeing: many respondents described the impact of continence conditions on travel, work and social participation, alongside emotional effects including embarrassment, anxiety and reduced confidence.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘We know more must be done to ensure people struggling with continence get the right support – wherever they live.

‘It is up to local NHS organisations to decide how best to allocate resources to meet continence needs in their local areas, following national clinical guidance which emphasises care should be safe, effective and uphold dignity.

‘This Government is committed to shifting care out of hospitals and into local communities, making it easier for people to access support closer to home.'