The Paediatric Continence Forum (PCF) is a campaigning group of health professionals, patient representatives and commercial members that engages with the Government and policymakers nationally to raise awareness of childhood bladder and bowel problems and to improve NHS services in this area of child health.
Recent news
PCF holds parliamentary drop-in session
The PCF held a parliamentary drop-in session, kindly hosted by Neil Gray MP, for two hours on Tuesday 5th July 2016. The session was well attended, with 8 MPs coming to find out more about paediatric continence services in their local area and how they can help to improve them. We now hope to build constructive relationships with these MPs to raise the profile of paediatric continence in Parliament – and with MPs attending from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we can increase our focus on the devolved regions’ healthcare systems.
PCF Chair Penny Dobson and Vice-Chair Nick Madden at the drop in event on 5th July
PCF coordinates letter to NHS England Chief Executive
The PCF has coordinated a letter to Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England, to express concerns about the poor state of NHS community-based services for children and young people with continence problems. To see the letter’s recommendations and signatories, please click the link below.
The PCF subsequently received a reply to this letter from Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, National Medical Director for NHS England. Sir Bruce noted the PCF’s concerns regarding the fragmentation of paediatric continence services and the problems arising from the transfer of commissioning responsibility for school nursing to local authorities.
Sir Bruce also expressed his understanding that Wendy Nicholson, the Lead Nurse for Children, Young People and Families in Public Health England, will be preparing commissioning guidelines for children with additional needs, including continence, to ensure that services are indeed commissioned with a focus on prevention and early intervention strategies. He suggested these guidelines “will have a strong focus on value and outcomes”. Sir Bruce further thanked the PCF for its input into the Excellence in Continence Care Commissioning Framework.
The PCF will be replying to Sir Bruce in due course, and will seek to engage with the Commissioning Guide for Children with Additional Needs, being led by Wendy Nicholson.