title: The management and development of continence services within the framework of the NHS and Community Care Act (1990).
abstract: The current context of community health care is described and the main issues concerning the development of continuity of care for the handicapped and elderly raised. Changes in philosophical and governmental approaches have coincided at a time of demographic changes that is resulting in increased numbers of elderly. Continence services are used as a vehicle in order to demonstrate the need for protocols, systems and evaluation measures across community care team boundaries. Current government decisions and reports are interwoven within the text with professional considerations and other requirements for decision making. The proactive approach offered in this paper for continence services, is also seen as important to other specialist services, such as stoma and diabetes care so that standards of patient care are improved--these being evaluated by approved quality care tools.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Swaffield
mesh_terms: D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000451:nursing*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000451:nursing*