Hi - just a question really. Mums supplied with incontinence pads via the incontinence service. I have worked out that we get an allowance of 3 that have to last her all day and night. Based on her being bed bound and a high risk of pressure sores has anyone ever challenged this figure and requested more or do I need to just buy them myself ? She has Crohn’s disease amongst other things so I changed her 7 times yesterday
Many thanks x
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Hi Linda.
We get them for Graham and when they “assessed his need” (over the phone!) they went through how bad his situation is and decided that One heavy duty at night and Two during the day is sufficient. That was based on what we were buying. However, the night one they supplied was totally inadequate and I rang to ask if they could review it due to the problems and I was pleasantly surprised when they said they would send through some more samples of different types so we could see if they were better. Told that if not, they would have another look at what they can supply.
With the ‘new lot’ the only problem was sizing as the pants were a little small - but they also sent a ‘net pant’ which is great for keeping the absorbent pads in place properly. I said we were using two a night on average and they said ‘OK we can increase the supply’. Mind you that was after I pointed out I was changing the bed at least once a day and had bed pads in place as well (they wont supply those so we buy them ourselves from AgeUK (cheapest I have found). If you are changing Mum seven times in 24 hours they MUST give you adequate supplies.
I would suggest going back and simply asking and if you explain the problems they should be helpful. If not speak to District Nurse and ask for intervention to get better supplies which are needed to avoid bed sores and infection etc. That is usually a way to get pressure put on the Bladder and Bowel Team!
I know years ago when Dad was caring for Mum they would get a delivery every three months and as Mum got through 5 or 6 pads in 24hours they had a room full of boxes of pads on each delivery! It was crazy trying to find where to store them.
Hope this is of help. Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Chris
We have the opposite problem. It took 18 months to get the pads and we have deliveries every 3 months - husband is supposed to change them 3x a day, and yes he did and to an extent still does have pressure sores. In those 18 months, when the situation was progressively getting worse, I was buying my own. We had District Nurses visiting 2x a week so I was chasing them too. In the end, I wrote to the GP and that seemed to expedite things. My husband has a damaged bowel due to him not taking the lactulose as directed when taking the painkillers.
Because husband is so medically non compliant, he is NOT changing the pads 3 x a day, and yes I do prompt. So we now have a huge overstock. But one of the nicer nurses did say that we must NOT delay ordering or we would get taken off the list and have to go through the wait again. So it is a huge moral dilemma. I did think of seeing if I could donate any of the pads to a charity - we have boxes unopened but not really sure which ones if any would take them. I do not know where you live Linda but it is a shame you are not in Leicestershire or you could happily have 3 or so boxes but they may not be the right pads for your mother.
It annoys me why the NHS cannot or will not accept that Carers are quite sensible and I would NOT let my husband run out of pads, but why am I expected to keep on ordering, or be penalized when we have boxes in his bathroom and the conservatory and I am due my next delivery end March so will need to make that call soon?
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Helena you are quite right - they set up a delivery system which is totally inflexible and does not take account of day to day changes. I’ve also been warned that I must phone to place the order and if I don’t then we will drop off the end of the list and have to start again. That’s not good when you are trying to find the BEST pads for the individual.
You hit the nail on the head - yet again UNPAID Carers are not listened to because we KNOW NOTHING !!!
You can see if you can get them via other methods from other places. I buy my own for my piglet from www.completecareshop.co.uk. My little piglet has severe bowel dysfunction and no cognitive issues. She qualifies for the pads. Yet after having trouble finding them in the hospitals free, I decided to see if her urologist could advise me. So I called him. Ask a urologist or look on the website for some.
This is the website for AgeUK which is where I buy for G.
thara: I think the link you meant is this one - correct me if I am wrong.
Chris
Thara
Forgive me if I am wrong … You mentioned your little girl is age 2 in a previous post. So wouldn’t night time pull up pads be ok for her. Cheaper for you?
I haven’t thought about that. I used nappies because that was the first thing I could find to use with her in order to reduce problems. But I’ll look at alternative options. She is bigger now.
What age is she? My great granddaughter is 3years 3months. My little princess 
Time flies.
Hi Chris - have corrected Thara’s link - a stray dot got in…
2 years and 4 months old.
A year younger than my great granddaughter. She was at home such a lot because of lockdown. Never know it now though 
x
My daughter was born at home. We had to call a ambulance the day before because she was high risk. So they came a half hour before and my other half drove behind in the car. I waited at home for the updates. Finally two days later I got to see her. Eventually she was released. She amazes us all. At two years old four months old she is beginning to work on traditional things like numbers and spelling once a week. She is beginning to count to five but we only started that today and it will take several weeks if not months. Tomorrow we have a toddler art and cookery session planned.
My husband is paralysed and non verbal. He is incontinent bowels. The incontinence nurse said that he is only allowed 3 day and 1 night pad per day . He has 4 calls a day. Sometimes he doesn’t need a pad change but other times he needs more.so i have to leave him in pads so that i have spares . They also gave me liners that i can use if he is have a bad day
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we have been using this service for years. as wife double incontinent. we contact the district nurse if we need a change of size etc. Otherwise the NHS order line renews supply but we have to phone up.
I have asked for a reassessment of my husbands pads on a number of occasions but no one bothers! I have too many daytime pads and not enough for night.
My Mum has the same issue, Dad tops up the order, and buys the flat pads for the chair. I suspect the ration is national
I had no idea nhs supplied incontinence pads. This forum is so helpful! How do we get them? Thanks
It can take a long time. I tried through the District Nurses and although they chased nothing happened so I contacted the GP Surgery as it was getting worse We then got a phone app with a Continence Nurse.
I would contact your GP.
It took me 18 months from requesting them to actually getting them for my husband. I did buy them in the meantime . They have really helped the pressure sore, when my husband remembers to change them and I do prompt.