Rotherham Continence Prescription Service

Our opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8am - 4pm (excluding bank holidays)

You are able to contact us by telephone: 01709 423369 or email: rgh-tr.continence.service@nhs.net

Outside of our opening hours you are able to leave an answerphone message, we will return your call the next working day. If you need assistance outside of our opening times, you can contact the Care Co-ordination Centre, telephone: 01709 426600

If you have had an assessment for continence pads, you should arrange your next delivery by contacting telephone: 0800 030 44 66

For continence pad related general enquires such as amendments and samples, please contact: 01709 423240

Your prescription will usually be set up with enough products to last 1-2 months. It is very important that you monitor your stock levels and contact us to order more when you have 1-2 weeks’ worth of stock left to use.

When you contact us to request more supplies, our prescription co-ordinators will ask a few questions to check they are in the correct record. They will also ask questions to check if you are experiencing any issues to learn if you may benefit from advice from one of our nurses.

Our prescription co-ordinators answer all calls, as well as processing your prescription, they can also help resolve any delivery issues by liaising with your supplier.

Your call may divert to our answer machine if our prescription co-ordinators are already taking a call. Please leave us a message, including your contact details and we will call you back as soon as possible. We respond to every message we receive, if you do not receive a call back within 24 hours we may not have received your message, please call again so that we can assist you.

Your prescription for continence products is the same as a prescription for medication. The same prescription charges and exemptions apply. When we issue your prescription, we will usually send it electronically to your chosen pharmacy or Dispensing Appliance Company (DAC).

You have three choices:

1. We can post the paper prescription to your home address.
   You can then give it to a pharmacy or DAC of your choice. It is your responsibility to arrange if you will collect your equipment or if they will deliver to you.
2. We can send your prescription electronically to a pharmacy of your choice.
   You will need to either go to the pharmacy to collect your products or make arrangements for them to deliver your equipment.
3. We can send your prescription electronically to a DAC of your choice.
   Your products will usually be delivered to you within 48 hours. Your parcel can usually be left in a safe place when you are not home if you agree to this.

You can select any of these options and can change between them whenever you choose. If you are unhappy with the service you receive from your dispenser / supplier, our prescription coordinators are able to help you make suitable alternative arrangements.

When you receive your products, it is important that you check you have received exactly what you need in the correct quantities.

If you are unsure or need to raise an issue please contact us so that our prescription co-ordinators can assist you.

All products should be stored away from direct heat, damp, dirt and dust.

Products must be stored in their original packaging until you use them. This ensures sterile items remain sterile and that we can identify batch numbers if we need to re-call products, which may be faulty.

Products should be disposed of alongside your normal household waste. If you find you have lots of waste that you are struggling to dispose of, it may be useful to contact your local council to discuss a solution.

It is good to keep a small stock of your products to ensure you do not run out; however, this should not be more than one week’s supply. When you receive new products, make sure you use your older stock first to ensure good stock control.

If you keep large amounts of stock and do not check expiry dates there is a risk of items becoming out of date, this can place you at risk of infection or skin damage if they are then used. There is also a risk of wasting stock if your needs change, as the stock you no longer need cannot be given to anyone else and has to be disposed of.

It is important that you use your products as advised. If you feel your product is causing problems, let us know so we can look for alternatives for you. Please do not make your own adaptations as this can make the product unsafe and place you at risk. We will advise which products are single use and which can be washed and reused, if you are unsure please contact us for advice.

If you are experiencing any issues with your products or feel they may be faulty, please contact us straight away. Our prescription co-ordinator will ask you for the Lot number and the Expiry date of the product (found on the packet) and will liaise with your supplier to report the fault and arrange replacement products.

Our Continence Advisor will provide you with a personalised Management Plan to guide you.

Good fluid intake is essential for anyone who experiences continence problems. If you are unsure that you are drinking the correct amount of fluid contact the service and one of the nurses will be happy to advise you. In some cases, such as people with heart or kidney problems you might have received advice to restrict your fluid intake, this advice should always be followed.

Continence problems may increase your risk of developing skin problems. Any skin soreness should be reported so that a review with a nurse can be arranged.

Constipation can lead to increased bladder problems. If you are experiencing issues with this or would like some advice please contact the service to speak to a nurse.

RADAR keys enable you to access all disabled toilets. These toilets are accessible to wheelchair users and have sinks within the toilet area.

Please contact RADAR disability network on 01709 255752 for information on obtaining a key. Alternatively, you can visit their website. 

Community Continence Service
Rotherham Community Health Centre
Greasbrough Road
Rotherham
S60 1RY

Continence Prescription Service
Telephone: 01709 423369

General Continence Service (Pads)
Telephone: 01709 423240
Email: rgh-tr.continence.service@nhs.net