Bradford pilot scheme to help women with common health problem (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Self-referral may be key to sensitive health issue

9:52am Friday 15th July 2011 in Real Lives By Claire Lomax

Dianne Naylor of Bradford Royal Infirmary says that many women suffer in silence Buy this photo »

Women with a common health problem are being urged to stop suffering in silence and come forward to take part in a national pilot scheme.

Bradford is one of only five centres nationally taking part in a project designed to improve access to treatment for women suffering from urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

Due to the sensitive nature of this health care issue women may take up to ten years before seeking help as they are too embarrassed to seek the advice of their GP.

Others may believe the problems are a normal consequence of the ageing process and may not know that effective treatments are available.

However, physiotherapy is very effective and training and strengthening the pelvic floor muscles is recommended as a first-line treatment for women suffering symptoms such as leakage of urine during exercise.

About 450 women a year are seen by physiotherapists at Bradford Royal Infirmary, and they are making it easier for more women to get treatment by taking part in a self-referral scheme.

It allows women to bypass their GP and refer themselves directly to a physiotherapist.

Dianne Naylor, a senior women’s health physiotherapist at Bradford Royal Infirmary said: “These are frequent, yet under-reported, embarrassing problems that severely impact on quality of life.

“Many women choose currently to suffer in silence, only presenting to their GP surgery when the symptoms have become unmanageable.

“This pilot will provide ease and timeliness of access to a specialist service that is able to provide excellent quality of care for these women.

“Treatments are more effective if patients can choose, understand and control their care. Self-referral promotes self management. Not only does it give patients choice but it saves unnecessary or inappropriate GP and consultant time.”

All GP surgeries across Bradford have been sent posters and leaflets about the self-referral scheme.

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