Incontinence appliances

This part lists those incontinence appliances which may be prescribed on an NHS prescription form. Further details can be found in Section 2.5.2. 

Investment on research and development of new materials will only be maximised if there is a clearly established route to market for newly developed products. In the UK, the routes to market for products used in the community setting have been well established for some thirty years. Recent efficiency drives initiated by the Commercial Directorate of the Department of Health threatened to disrupt the routes to market which traditionally have meant that the UK is a place of choice for research, production and the first launch of many new technologies. This paper explores the history behind the reimbursement process for appliances in the community setting, and the consultations aimed at reviewing tire arrangements for the provision of dressings, incontinence appliances, stoma appliances chemical reagents and other appliances to primary care and secondary care. Althou the process is not yet complete, the paper sets out to update on the current position and the implications to research and development. 

The First Consultation 24 October 2005 Arrangements for the Provision of Dressings, Incontinence Appliances, Stoma Appliances, Chemical Reagents and Other Appliances to Primary and Secondary Care. Closed on 23 January 2006. 

The Third Consultation 27 July 2006. Arrangements for the provision of stoma and incontinence appliances and related support services to patients under Part DC of the Drug Tariff. Closed on 11 September 2006. 

There vvere SI responses to the consultation which included none fiom patients and 2 from nurses. As an outcome the Department stated that it intended to consult further in November 2006 on the pricing of services and the suitability of the Drug Tariff reimbursement prices for stoma and incontinence appliances under the alternative classification structure. It indicted that there would be changes in the service specifications in the areas of ... 

The Fourth Consultation 23" November 2006. Arrangements for the reimbursement pricing of stoma and incontinence appliances under Part IX of the Drug Tariff. Origbud response date 5 March 2007 later extended to 2 April 2007. 

Polytetrafluoroethylene (Polytef) is widely used in industry. Teflon is used in household appliances to avoid sticking of food. Polytef paste is used for a variety of medical purposes, including replacement grafts in vascular surgery, vocal cord or fold augmentation, and correction of vesicoureteric reflux and urinary incontinence. 

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