Better health and ageing for all Australians

National Continence Management Strategy

Continence

Incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine or faeces at an inappropriate time or place (the International Continence Society (ICS), 2005).

In this section:

Incontinence is a significant health issue affecting children, women and men of all ages. It can have physical, social, quality of life, and economic implications for the individuals, their carers and the community.

The Australian Government supports people affected by incontinence, their family and carers, health professionals and the general public through two major programs.

Continence Aids Assistance Scheme

The Continence Aids Assistance Scheme (CAAS) is an Australian Government program that assists eligible people who have permanent and severe incontinence to meet some of the costs of continence products.

The CAAS is currently administered on behalf of the Australian Government by Intouch, the commercial arm of the Spinal Injuries Association Incorporated. People eligible for the CAAS receive a subsidy, which is indexed annually, for continence products ordered through Intouch.

The CAAS is available to people 5 years of age and over with permanent and severe incontinence where it is caused by an eligible neurological condition. People who have permanent and severe incontinence caused by another condition may also be eligible, provided they hold a Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card.

For more information or to download an application form, please visit www.bladderbowel.gov.au

Continence Aids Payment Scheme

From 1 July 2010, the Continence Aids Payment Scheme will replace the current CAAS. The Continence Aids Payment Scheme is an Australian Government payment that will assist eligible people, who have permanent and severe incontinence to meet some of the cost of their continence products. It will be a direct payment to clients to increase flexibility and choice about where and when they purchase their continence products, including existing continence product suppliers, pharmacies or retail outlets, and on-line.

For more information about the Continence Aids Payment Scheme including answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) visit www.bladderbowel.gov.au

National Continence Management Strategy

The National Continence Management Strategy (NCMS) was established in 1998 to support research, public awareness activities, education and resource development aimed at improving continence awareness, management and treatment.

Phase 3 of the NCMS (2006-2010) aims to improve continence awareness, management and treatment so that more Australians can live and participate in their community with confidence and dignity. The objectives are to promote bladder and bowel health across the lifespan; increase awareness of bladder and bowel health among Australians; and improve access to quality continence care.

Further information about the NCMS can be found at www.bladderbowel.gov.au

    Continence Publications

    A key awareness raising activity of the NCMS is the development of bladder and bowel health information resources for the consumer, carer and health professional. The range of resources includes booklets and brochures, CDs and DVDs, posters and flipcharts.

    Some of the major resources available include:
      • The National Continence Management Strategy Speakers Kit – a comprehensive resource aimed at the health and allied professional workforce who disseminate continence information through ongoing seminars and presentations.
      • Specialist Set Brochures – This series of 17 brochures covers topics such as, prolapse, pelvic floor exercises for men and women, good bladder and bowel habits, childhood bedwetting and how to identify if you have a bladder or bowel problem.
      • Indigenous Brochures – Similar to the Specialist Set, a series of brochures has been developed covering a range of topics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
      • Bowel Resources - A number of bowel resources are available for people who have undergone bowel surgery, have a spinal cord injury and for people wanting to learn about looking after their bowel.
      • Urinary Incontinence Resources – A number of resources are available for the consumer and health professional with information relevant to living with urinary incontinence.
    The extensive range of resources is available in hard copy by calling the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66 or resources can be downloaded by following this link www.bladderbowel.gov.au

    Bladder and Bowel Health Website

    The Bladder and Bowel Health website is a dedicated site promoting bladder and bowel health for consumers, health professionals, service providers, researchers and others.

    Detailed information about projects funded through the NCMS is available along with access to the range of information resources developed by the NCMS. Visit www.bladderbowel.gov.au

    National Public Toilet Map

    This website shows the location of over 14,000 toilet facilities available to the public across Australia. Toilets can be identified at particular locations and along travel routes. Useful information is provided about each toilet, such as location, opening hours, availability of baby change rooms, accessibility for people with disabilities and the details of other nearby toilets.

    The Toilet Map offers trip planning functions, downloading of GPS coordinates, and large maps with pan and zoom functions. In addition, toilet locations can be easily accessed on mobile phones, providing people with a simple and quick way of finding a toilet while they are out and about, for no more than a standard call charge.
    www.toiletmap.gov.au
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