Whats Happening in the ACA
The latest news and updates on what is happening in the ACA.
ACA Executive Member at UKCS
Susan Foxley, ACA Executive Committee member, presented at the UK Continence Society meeting in April.
See her presentation here
21st Century catheter project
Roger Feneley, Patron of ACA writes:
I was interested to read an article by Peter Chilcott in the June issue of ‘Forward’, the Spinal Injuries Association journal, bemoaning the fact that the catheter in routine use was introduced in a past century. He asked why do we not have a 21st Century catheter? I contacted him and told him until catheter-users are prepared to form a strong lobby this will be an uphill task.
Peter has responded by agreeing to lead the ‘21st century project’. He is a C5/6 tetra who sustained his injury in 1969 from an RTA. He had been an airline pilot prior to that. As a preliminary trial he has set up his own website to assess the response.
Anyone interested in this work should contact Peter via the link: http://catheter.weebly.com/
Tax Relief on your ACA membership
Blair, from Fitwise, explains how you can now claim tax relief on your ACA subscriptions. Members need to download the HM Revenue and Customs form (15 September 2009)
Practice Based Commissioning
Our GP advisor, Dr Julian Spinks, gives some advice on how to ensure continence services are visible to commissioners, in his Top Tips for PBC (May 2009).
Briefing on General Practice
Dr Julian Spinks made an excellent presentation to the Executive Committee and would like to share with all members his Briefing on General Practice (May 2009).
The National Association of Primary Care NAPC
NAPC is the only membership organisation whose main focus of support is General Practice and all its staff, while, at the same time, supporting Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in developing their relationships with them. Find out more about NAPC here.
The e-book of the NAPC review offers a wealth of information for all those working within primary care. The ACA is found on page 228.
National Patient Safety Agency
The ACA has contacted the National Patient Safety Agency to enquire as to the incidence of catheter related infections. We will let you know when we have more information.
Forging links with continence organisations oversees
The ACA, as part of its strategic planning is making new links with continence practitioners and organisations overseas. If you currently work with any oversees organisations involved in continence care do let us know at jane.young5@nhs.net.
The Continence Association of South Africa, CASA, can be found at http://www.continenceworldwide.org/articles2000/aca.html.
The Australian
Nurses for Continence (ANFC) exists to allow a national forum for representation of nurses with an interest in matters relating to continence, and to assist in the coordination of activities of its state branches. Details of the organisation can be found at:
Nursing Times
The ACA has a working partnership with the Nursing Times; several members of both the ACA Executive and members are on the editorial board of the NT continence journal .A member of the Executive committe is on the judging panel for the NT continence award.
The Nursing Times Continence Award, presented in association with the ACA, aims to reward best practice in continence care. The award is open to all nurses involved in continence promotion who are leading and supporting initiatives in primary and secondary care.
Part 1X of the drug tarif: Revised document consultation process completed.
The Association has submitted comments on the Tariff document on behalf of its members . These comments have been sent to the Department of Health. ACA response can be viewed on the Members Area.
Read the document here: Part 1X consultation.
The Department of Health has now posted the summary of responses to the consultation and the overview of the new arrangements on the website. Read it here.
A letter for the head pharmacists brings the review of Part IX to a close.
James Lind Alliance (JLA)
The James Lind Alliance, and the Social Science Research Unit: 'Urinary Incontinence: Tackling treatment uncertainties together'. View the top 10 research questions.
The Association for Continence Advice (ACA) is an affiliate organisation of the James Lind Alliance (JLA). The ACA is committed to supporting its multi-professional members to deliver leading edge therapeutic continence care for children, young people and adults in the UK. The work that the JLA are undertaking in the field of urinary incontinence aligns with our aims and objectives of the organisation and therefore it is fundamentally important that communication and joint working/thought sharing is maximised. How we will contribute to the JLA objectives:
- Provide a source of expertise in the field of bladder & bowel continence dysfunction.
- Review of documents/papers associated with this area of health and social care.
- Offer support and opinion where requested.
- Help to raise the profile of this massive public health problem.
- Share/communicate the work of the JLA through our website and newsletter.
To access further information on the work of the JLA, please link to www.lindalliance.org
The JLA has issed a press release to draw attention to the work they are doing. View it here JLA press release
Infection Prevention Society
War on infection takes on a new challenger – the Infection Prevention Society. Press Release IPS Sept 2007