Continence care project included in COVID-19 Nursing Research Portfolio

An ARC West study exploring the impact of COVID-19 on community continence care features in the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) England’s new Nursing Research Portfolio.

Exploring perspectives of the impact on continence care of COVID-19 (EPICCC-19), alongside another continence study exploring users’ perspectives of bladder and bowel services during the pandemic, are the only inclusions from the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) area.

Nursing research matters: learning from COVID-19, which launched on 6 May 2021, aims to increase and spread knowledge of nurse-led research in response to the pandemic, inspire other nurse researchers, and promote pride in what nursing has achieved through research leadership and impact. It also underpins future plans for research and priorities addressing the consequences of COVID-19.

Two newly-appointed research CNOs reviewed the research included in this special COVID-19 edition. The two included continence studies are led by Bristol Health Partners Bladder and Bowel Confidence Health Integration Team (BABCON HIT)

EPICCC-19 looks at the changes that have been made to community continence services because of COVID-19. Researchers are surveying healthcare providers working in those services to find out what advantages and disadvantages for continence care they have seen from these changes. The study is funded by the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute at the University of Bristol and NIHR ARC West, and collaborators include ERIC: the Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity, and Bladder and Bowel UK.

The second study included in the Portfolio explores users’ perspectives of bladder and bowel services since changes were made due to COVID-19, and also examines wider issues such as the impact of public toilet closures during the pandemic. This is a collaborative study with Healthwatch BNSSG and the Bristol Urological Institute, North Bristol NHS Trust.

Both studies, which are due to report their findings in Summer 2021, aim to inform policy and decision making for service recovery after COVID-19 and future service innovation.

Dr Nikki Cotterill, Associate Professor in Continence Care at UWE’s Centre for Health and Clinical Research, and director of BABCON HIT, said:

“I’m delighted for our research to be included in this prestigious collection alongside peers conducting high quality research in healthcare, showcasing the contribution nursing research can make for the benefit of patients and raising the profile of bladder and bowel care.”