Community Bladder and Bowel Service (Portsmouth and Southampton)

About the service

The Community Bladder and Bowel Service is a service that ensures that patients get extensive treatment to try and help resolve and improve conditions rather than just relying on pad provision.

The team consists of: 

• Bladder & Bowel Nurse Specialists who are all advanced clinical practitioners in conservative therapies for bladder and bowel problems.
• Women’s Health Physiotherapist (for patients with a Southampton GP).
• Nurse Auxiliaries’, Clinical Support Facilitators’ and Administrative staff who work alongside the clinical team.

The service operates in Portsmouth and Southampton. For services covering the rest of Hampshire please click here and for services on the Isle of Wight, please click here

The service also incorporates a Home Delivery service to people living in Portsmouth, Southampton and parts of West Hampshire who have been assessed by the local Community Bladder & Bowel Service, a Community Nurse, School Nurse or Health visitor as having a need for continence products. For an assessment please contact the Community Bladder & Bowel Service in your area.

What we do

Our service can help in a number of different ways. Initial assessments provided could include:

• Assessment and examination to include vaginal and rectal examination as indicated.
• Prostate (digital rectal examination) and prolapsed assessment (vaginal ex) and bladder scans to determine whether the patient has residual urine. Please note, that no anticholinergic agent medication should be given before a bladder scan.
• Urolometry to help the diagnosis of obstruction, stricture and poor bladder pressure.
• The development of a management treatment plan that the patient can take ownership
• Treatment such as bladder retraining, bio-feedback and pelvic floor exercises. Our staff are fully trained in these areas and have regular updates.
• Prescription of containment products if required, which includes pads.

We can also provide advice training and education to patients and healthcare professionals, home visits (where appropriate), advice and fitting for suitable aids and appliances. 

Accessing the service

Portsmouth Bladder and Bowel Service
View our referral form, which also includes contact details for the service and a secure email address which should be used to send the referral to the team

Southampton and West Bladder and Bowl Service
To refer into the team please email Bladderandbowelwest@solent.nhs.uk or snhs.bladderandbowelwest@nhs.net or contact the team directly by calling: 0300 123 3795