Is getting to the toilet when and where you want a human right? If you can't get to the loo in time, should our health system ensure you have access to the right sorts of help no matter where you live in New Zealand? And should you pay the smallest or fairest amount of money possible for this help?

Our organisations believe that the answer to all of these questions is yes!

Little visibility

Problems with bladder and bowel control (wetting and bowel soiling) are very common. All sorts of New Zealanders have these problems: young and older, men and women, people with and without disabilities, and people of all races and cultures. People with bladder and bowel control problems tend to keep quiet about it. These problems aren't covered on the TV, radio, and in newspapers like cancer or heart disease.

Suffering in silence

Keeping quiet means that reasons for the problems aren't sorted out as they ought to be. It means that appropriate treatment doesn't always happen, and that the health system doesn't have to make sure continence help is freely and fairly available. Keeping quiet usually means people try to manage with what they can get for themselves, like pads from the supermarket or chemist, rather than getting a medical diagnosis and the best treatment and products for their needs.

More help needed

Why do people keep quiet about these important problems? Embarrassment is one reason, and often people assume their bowel and bladder concerns are just part of being old, or being young, or being a woman, or having a disability. Another big reason is that the health system isn't organised so that help is easy to get. Treatment may be difficult to get to, there may be long waiting lists, the sorts of treatment may vary a lot across New Zealand, and there may be a lot of cost to get treatment or to pay for continence products.

National plan!

The NZ Continence Association, Carers NZ, and the Carers Alliance want to change this for the better. We think that better organisation for bladder and bowel control problems across the health system will mean a better life for Kiwis with these problems. We call this plan a ‘National Continence Strategy'. We think that because there are so many people with bladder and bowel control problems in New Zealand (about 600,000 Kiwis!), all parts of the health system should be organised to provide the best possible help.

Caring skills

Our organisations are working together to ensure that New Zealand has a plan for bladder and bowel support, and that this plan works. We have taken our request for a nationally consistent and fair approach to continence to the Government, and will keep you informed of its response in future issues of Family Care. Meanwhile, we'd love to hear your stories about how you manage continence needs at home.

Sharing your experiences will help us to inform other families that may benefit from your knowledge, and guide the development of our work to achieve a National Continence Strategy for New Zealand.

Send your comments to info@carers.net.nz, or by post to PO Box 133, Mangonui, Far North 0442.

Principles of a national continence plan

People have the right to ask for help and must know that it is OK to ask for help. Health workers should know enough about bladder and bowel control problems so they can help patients, or know where to refer them for help.

Hospitals and clinics need to know where people can easily get specialised continence help, with a short waiting time. No matter where in New Zealand, the specialised help should be of the same consistent standard.

If treatment is needed, the best possible treatment should be given as soon as possible. If treatments such as pads are needed, these should be given out fairly and at a reasonable cost, and people with continence needs should be able to easily receive or order these once their needs have been assessed.

People with bladder and bowel problems should have a say in how the health system works for them.

The health system for bladder and bowel problems must be monitored to be sure it is fair, and that treatment is given where and when it is needed.