Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the level of NHS provision of continence containment products for people with severe disabilities; and whether he plans to issue guidance to integrated care boards and NHS trusts to ensure that provision levels reflect individual clinical assessments, particularly in cases where current prescribing limits are considered insufficient to meet need.

The Department has not made a specific assessment as integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning continence services in their areas. These services include assessment, treatment, and, where clinically appropriate, the supply of continence products. Decisions on the type and quantity of products are made by clinicians following individual assessment, in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on incontinence and professional standards.

NHS Supply Chain supports trusts with the procurement of continence products through value-based procurement initiatives to ensure products are safe, effective, and cost-efficient. Further information on continence commissioning is available at:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/continence/