Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHS
Belinda Smith
Recent activity
Comments (4)
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Comment on: Knicker-twanging dentist struck off, and when tweets go too far
Nice to see that males as well as females are disgusted and appalled at the behaviour of these inappropriate dinosaurs. The BMA need to take a lesson from this and hope that their members learn from this guys demise!! Miracles do happen - or do they??
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Comment on: New guidance on how to avoid inserting female-length urinary catheters into men
I would suggest that this issue has deeper implications for both NHS managers and patients. It is clear that all the checks that are required to be made prior to the insertion of a urinary catheter, usually in a policy document, are not being followed. This not only increases the risk of the wrong length being used but also those that are out of date or damaged. Continence and urology specialist nurses have for many years zealously warned of the dangers of failing to systematically check these high risk products. The collaboration between manufacturers and clinicians has ensured that labelling assists not only these checks but documenting the procedure. Standard length catheters are not only uncomfortable for independant females but also increase the risk of pulling and consequent trauma. My main concern is that due to bad practice, catheter care for women may well be compromised as we implement defensive procedures. The last time this issue arose nurses refused to undertake catheterisation in males for fear of incidents and patients were forced to attend hospital instead. I would hope that commissioners keep their eye on this ball.
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Comment on: An evaluation of disposable pads for women with light incontinence
Most services are looking to optimise their pad budgets and this group of low absorbency, high cost products are being replaced by washable items. An evaluation of the washables available for low need patients would be much more worth while for contractual decision-making within NHS continence services.
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Comment on: Protecting continence services as financial pressures loom
Having now spent 19 years in the continence world on both sides of the fence (commercial and NHS) I am always hopeful that the value of continence services will be recognised at Government level. However since my move to London to set up a new service for the 2nd time in my career, I have experienced a strange phenomenon. That of in-fighting between professionals to hold on to patients and scaremongering in primary care to ensure that patients are directed to secondary care, so bypassing community based continence services. If we cannot stand together with one voice how the heck is the message to stay strong and credible!!
