“We know the NHS will have to save £15-20bn over the next five years.

Health secretary Andrew Lansley has said that this “implied something like 3-3.5%, probably about 3%, efficiency savings each year in the NHS… we may need to do more, because we have increases in demand”.

On the ground, we have all been told we need to make significant savings within our individual departments of approximately 10% of our budgets. This means that those of us working in continence services are under considerable pressure to save, on average, more than £100,000 per year. This is almost impossible when we are already struggling on limited budgets, while the cost of disposable incontinence products and the ageing population who need continence care are both increasing.

The cost of continence products produced in the Eurozone has been dramatically affected by the exchange rate. Between 2007 and 2009, costs rose over 30%.

While the exchange rate has moved slightly this year, industry has still seen a cost increase of around 28% since 2007. Products produced outside the Eurozone are affected by fluctuating local currencies. In addition, raw material prices are increasing and, as those used in continence products are priced internationally in US dollars, there will be a double hit as the euro is weak against the dollar.

The figures do not add up. We want to provide the same level of service, balance the books and save 10% at a time when products are costing nearly 30% more.
Continence services can only realistically seek to cut costs via efficiency savings, rather than on product price. However, many of us are frustrated that our ideas to improve efficiency are often lost within the bureaucracy of the NHS and because continence is not anyone’s “target”, which means it sparks little interest.

Particularly frustrating is the snail’s pace at which services are being transferred from acute to primary care, where they could be better served.

Yet it is disposable product provision that leaves many continence nurses in the line of fire. Calls to the PromoCon helpline, a charity that offers product advice, are increasing. Patients and families are complaining about the limited type and number of products for which they are eligible. The phrase “Don’t shoot the messenger!” often comes to mind as nurses are told by management to restrict the type and number of products they prescribe to save money. This means that many services are not able to provide products to meet patients’ needs.”

As well as searching for a cure for your urinary incontinence, you are also likely to look for dependable, urinary incontinence products to help you manage your condition and avoid any potentially embarrassing situations.

When looking for incontinence products, as well as pants and pads, and you will also see skincare products that will keep the skin stay healthy by preventing rashes and irritation.

If unsure what product types would be most suitable for you then seek advice, either from a healthcare professional, a product manufacturer or an Incontinence specialist such as Allanda, all of whom should be well versed with the multitude of different products for odour control and skin protection, pads and pants, and also beyond that their user-friendliness and comfort.
Hopefully after this you will have a good starting point , and as you evaluate different urinary incontinence products by trying them for yourself then you will determine what features and aspects are most important for you. If a product works for you and is comfortable then try it over a longer period to be sure, if not, then determine what aspects you aren’t satisified with and find another product or brand that looks like it will better meet your own specific needs until you find the best product for you.

There are many different types of incontinence products so it is important to have an open mind and consider all options initially. You may well discover that different products are more suitable for different activities in your day. For example, washable incontinence pants may be fine for wearing during the day, whilst at night the extra absorbency of a disposable product is needed. At night, a waterproof mattress cover may also be needed as well for extra security.

If you use disposable pants or pads, change them regularly, well before they are full, to avoid skin chafing and rashes developing. It is really recommend to change a disposable pad as soon as it is soiled.

Washable incontinence pants often look similar to normal underwear but generally contain a built in pad, and have a reinforced waterproof crotch. The built in pads are constructed from special fabric that helps to wick wetness away from you keeping your skin dry and healthy. This type of underwear is generally worn without a pad. For extra protection at night you can use waterproof pants over disposable or washable products, however if you are using the right disposable product this shouldn’t be necessary.

When you are in the process of seeking out the right incontinence products for your needs, Allanda can assist you in finding the perfect products for your situation. You can purchase various sample packs designed for specific levels of incontinence which will give you a great idea of what product types are available and find which ones you suit you.

You might prefer the ease of use and hygiene of disposable urinary incontinence products, or you may prefer the cost advantages of washable incontinence products. Like many people you might even find that a combination of different types of urinary incontinence products suits you most.

Whatever the solution to your needs, we are here to help you discover it.

According to the Telegraph, a 63 year old nurse working at St James’ Park Nursing Home in Dorset was sedating patients, putting call bells out of reach and putting extra incontinence pads on residents so she would not have to change their sheets.

Many of the patients under her care were highly vulnerable and many were dependent on her to meet their basic needs. She was only stopped when a healthcare assistant, Anthony Pitcher, blew the whistle on her.

Mr Pitcher said he often saw Haskings put two incontinence pads on patients at night so she would not have to change the bed sheets in the morning. He also witnessed Haskings taking call bells away from patients.

Jillian Alderwick, chairman of the panel – who worked at St James’ Park Nursing Home in Dorset – said that Haskings had set an “appalling example” to junior staff, commenting that:

“Further the panel considers that the placing of call bells out of the reach of residents was nothing short of abuse and the inappropriate application of more than one continence pad at a time was an assault on the dignity of these vulnerable, elderly residents. Having considered the matter carefully, the panel has come to conclusion that the misconduct in this case was so serious that it is fundamentally incompatible with the registrant continuing to be registered with the NMC.”

The nurse was found guilty of dishonestly obtaining Temazepam tablets, administering unprescribed medication to patients, sleeping on shift, removing their call bells and applying extra incontinence pads. The panel ruled that she should be struck off the register but she was cleared of failing to carry out hourly checks on residents.

Source: The Telegraph Online

That’s why we are constantly adding new products to our range and in the last few weeks we added Tena Pants Discreet Extra (Medium and Large), the cost effective Lille Supreme Pull-up Incontinence Pants, and great value Lille Classic Form Incontinence Pads, a wide range of Tena Hygiene Accessories, plus larger value pack counts of Tena Comfort Extra, Tena Comfort Plus, Tena for Men Level 1 and Tena for Men Level 2. Not to mention smaller packs counts of Tena Fix.

When it comes to Incontinence Choice, Allanda aim to give you the best selection around, backed up by our reknowned great value and fast delivery.

A new product developed and recently introduced in the American market promises to deal with mild faecal incontinence in a discreet and hygienic way. With a unique butterfly shape this incontinence product fit into place without the need of tape, pins or other fastening devices.

This innovative incontinence product is described as an anal leak pad, highly absorbent (up to 10 ml leakage per pad) of mild faecal leakage and perspiration, it is a soft, smooth and latex free.

These pads act as breathable moisture that helps contain leakage, keeping sensitive skin drier and at the same time reducing irritation. With its compact size of 3-1/2 x 5 inches open (fold to use) these pads are easy to carry and use when needed.

Designed for active lifestyle these faecal incontinence pads are disposable, biodegradable and flushable making it easy to change and dispose it in the privacy of a restroom, making it a simple and easy to use solution for people living with Faecal Incontinence.

Product Profile

Name: B-SURE® Anal Leakage Pads
Manufacturer: B-Sure
Available in Boxes of 24

Expect to see these new pads in the UK any time soon and stay tuned for more information about other incontinence products here at All About Incontinence.

That’s why we retail a full range of Bed Protection products, including Bed Pads, Duvet Protection, Matress Covers and more.

To view the full range please click here.

With products ranging from incontinence pads, pants, Incostress and incontinence skincare. Allanda certainly has everything you need to get you right through Christmas and in to the new year!

There’s not long left, so get your orders in.

Happy Christmas!

Our range includes:

- Body Wash Cloths

- *Abena Washing Foam

- Wash Glove

- Abena Washing Lotion

- Abena Wet Wipes

- Gloves

For more details please click here.

*Abena skincare products are designed by a protective healthcare business with particular emphasis on total incontinence management.

Allanda’s product range includes disposable products, washable products, bed protection, skin care and disposal units.

As well as this we also supply accessories and hygiene products to help you manage incontinence.

To make it even easier for you we even have a separate category for Men and Women on the Allanda website, how handy is that!

If all this isn’t enough, then we also provide sample packs so that you can find the right products for you.

Visit our website today to buy online or request a catalogue.

Before jumping to conclusions it’s advisable to see a doctor and let him or her give a more precise diagnosis of your incontinence problem.

Specialists can help patients see how well they are doing with their pelvic exercises by inserting an electrode into the patient’s vagina before squeezing the muscle, the electrode has a micro-camera so patients will see their muscle activity on a TV screen. This helps the patient understand how tight they need to squeeze in order to prevent stress incontinence.

There are two types of pelvic exercises, both proven to increase strength of the pelvic floor muscles. One is called ’slow pull ups’ and the other is called ‘fast pull ups’, both are very simple, you can choose whether to be standing, sitting or lying, for the slow pull ups you need to tighten and pull the pelvic muscle as hard as they can, hold it for at least five seconds and repeat it five times. For the fast pull ups stay on the same position and pull the muscle quickly and tightly and relax immediately, also repeat it five times.

As any other exercise they need to be done regularly, most Doctors recommend doing them at least 10 times a day for greater results against incontinence. For more help and advise in managing your incontinence please contact us at Allanda