ASSOCIATION FOR CONTINENCE ADVICE

During the year a number of exciting new initiatives were developed by the ACA. The first ever National Audit of Continence Services, funded by the UK National Lottery and supported by Lorex Synthélabo, will provide far reaching information on the extent of consumer satisfaction with continence services within the United Kingdom. A similar audit of ACA members around the UK identified education as the most pressing need that they had. In order to meet this need ACA launched its National Study Day Programme. The programme provides a variety of opportunities for members and non-members, from the ever popular 'Showcase' demonstrating 'new products and new ideas' to the two-day residential course 'Pro-active Management of Incontinence'.

The ACA 2nd International Conference broke all records! Held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre the wide-ranging programme attracted delegates from around the world, with record numbers attending, the commercial exhibition being sold out in January 1998 and a record number of abstracts and presentations being submitted! The 1999 conference, 'Back to the Future', will be held in Bournemouth, on England's south coast, from 17th to 20th May 1999 and the next International Conference will be held in Harrogate in May 2000.

Following successful discussions on sponsorship and product endorsement ACA have appointed, from September onwards, a Professional Development Officer to further strengthen the education and training programme. The benefits of this appointment will be seen during 1999 when ACA will be offering more courses, subsidised for members, on a wider range of topics than ever before.

In order to provide further support for members in Northern Ireland ACA has agreed to appoint a Regional Development Officer. The person appointed will liaise with the Professional Development Officer to organise a comprehensive scientific programme because first line continence services in Northern Ireland are increasingly being provided by GPs and non-specialist nurses in community settings. Developments in the north of Ireland have been mirrored in the Republic with the first joint initiative with the Irish Continence Interest Group, the 'Showcase' held last November in Dun Laoghaire. Other events will be held during 1998.

All the new events are provided at a subsidised rate for members. ACA has been able to make this commitment thanks to the increasing commercial opportunities agreed during the year. ACA has 57 corporate supporters, believing that there is a strength in numbers rather than relying upon a few large sponsors. Therefore this arrangement has allowed ACA to embark on the initiatives mentioned above with confidence born from having guaranteed income for the foreseeable future.

Martin Eede