Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to issue statutory guidance on the provision of absorbent products for adult incontinence products.

There are no plans to issue statutory guidance on the provision of absorbent products for adult incontinence, as there is already existing guidance to which the National Health Service must have regard.

NHS England published Excellence in Continence Care on 23 July 2018, bringing together evidence-based resources and research for guidance for commissioners, providers, and health and social care staff, and which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/excellence-in-continence-care/

NHS England will consider next steps on Excellence in Continence Care through its National Bladder and Bowel Health Project, which aims to improve continence care across the whole public health and care system.

In addition, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence has produced guidance on the management of faecal incontinence in adults, which healthcare professionals and commissioners are expected to take fully into account when delivering services for people with bowel incontinence.