NEW ZEALAND CONTINENCE ASSOCIATION

The past year has seen continued growth and challenges for the Association. One of the highlights has been a new initiative aimed at convincing the health funding bodies that a national policy for incontinence services is imperative. A draft discussion document has been developed by the National Executive and circulated to the membership for their feedback. It is proposed that a multi-disciplinary Expert Advisory Committee representative of a wide range of interested parties including health professionals, consumers, representatives of special needs groups, managers, purchasers and national policy developers be appointed to develop strategies aimed at improving the care of all with continence problems.Our intention is to convince the Health Funding Authority and Ministry of Health that current services for incontinence are fragmented, inequitable and insufficient for community needs and that developing a national policy on purchasing and providing continence services is not only vital but cost effective. The prospect of getting more funding is limited. However, if all the current funding was brought together under national continence guidelines there is real potential to significantly improve the standard and deliverance of appropriate assessment and management to all, regardless of geographic or socioeconomic circumstances. Our other activities including the annual public awareness week and conference which were again very well received this year. A cartoon competition run as part of the awareness week last year fielded a surprising number of quality entries both pictorial and poetic. As previously publicity, particularly via television, radio or newspapers and magazines, always stimulates a significant increase in the calls to the 0800 Helpline. The website is also increasing in popularity with 30 - 40 hits per month. We plan to survey these services to try to assess their effectiveness.We are currently looking at the possibility of a closer alliance with the Continence Foundation of Australia and, with them, looking at ways this might happen.