When is referral needed?
When is referral needed?
The NHS website suggests that all patients with any degree of incontinence should ‘see their doctor’ but being able to differentiate between immediate referral and a routine appointment is helpful. If the patient does not have symptoms/signs that need immediate referral, they may want to try the lifestyle and behavioural changes recommended by NICE to see if they help.
Many GP surgeries now have nurses with expertise in managing incontinence and patients can usually see these initially for assessment and support. Patients who need immediate referral are those with signs of urinary tract infection – fever, dysuria, bladder or urethral pain, haematuria. All patients with haematuria, even in the absence of other symptoms, need urgent referral.
Where continuous incontinence is suspected, a referral is needed. Faecal incontinence associated with urinary incontinence or a loss of bladder control also require referral. Men with prostate- related urinary symptoms or signs of urinary retention need referral as well.