Service available in:

Children’s Community Bladder and Bowel service

The service has a team of expert specialist nurses offering advice, assessment, treatment and management of bladder and bowel problems to children and young people aged between 0 and 19 years who are registered with a Liverpool GP.

The service aims to promote healthy bladder and bowels amongst children and young people. This will help to make sure every opportunity is taken to support a child to achieve their continence potentials, resulting in greater independence and dignity.

The service follows on from support given by Level 1 health promotion services such as your GP, health visitor or school nurse. They are able to offer support prior to referring to us for Level 2 specialist services, and ongoing care if required. The specialist nursing staff work collaboratively with other professionals providing advice, support and education around the care of patients with complex needs.

We provide:

  • Clinical assessment of complex bladder and bowel issues young people registered with a Liverpool GP
  • Health promotion advice for children and young people and their carers
  • Support and advice to children and young people and their carers in relation to treatment
  • Referral to other services if appropriate such as social services, occupational therapy or secondary care
  • Clinic sites across Liverpool
  • Home visits
  • Support, advice and visits for patients with complex needs.

For night time wetting (also known as nocturnal enuresis), parents should contact their school health team. They will offer an assessment and advice before you are referred into our service. Sometimes it is as simple as increasing the amount of fluid your child is drinking, or reviewing their diet and their day to day toileting pattern.

  • There is an open referral system, with referrals being welcomed from parents, school staff, social workers and health care professionals. Following referral, patients will be assessed and managed in partnership with the GP or referred to hospital

  • Patients must be registered with a Liverpool GP

  • The service referral form can be emailed, faxed or posted to the address on the form

  • Parents can also self-refer, by calling 0151 295 3993

  • Once a referral is accepted it will be reviewed by the appropriate professional for that patient

  • The team work between 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays

The service aims to promote healthy bladder and bowels, not only to encourage independence but also dignity. We assess every patient individually, recognising that every person has different needs.

Continence products are available for children with a diagnosed disability or medical need affecting their continence, where a continence assessment and toilet training has been completed by a member of the specialist team and been unsuccessful.

You may then be offered a product contribution to a maximum of four products per 24 hours, based on an individual assessment. Products can only be ordered following an assessment. Products provided are pads, wrap around style products or insert pads which provide extra volume. We are unable provide bed pads/bed sheets.

We do not provide disposable pull ups, based on evidence from Bladder and Bowel UK. However we will contribute towards washable pull up style pants with insert pads.

Support around toilet training is offered for children who have difficulty achieving continence after these initial interventions have been supported by level 1 staff for 12 weeks, and need further support.

Download a referral form

Referrals can be emailed to Childrenscbbs.merseycare@nhs.net

This email address is for referrals only and is not monitored for messages.

  • Parents can self refer, by calling 0151 295 3993

  • The team work between 8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays.