Recently, two inpatient units, social enterprise Medway Community Healthcare (MCH) through the NHS, switched to using iD continence care products. Below we spoke with Lizzy Preston, Practice Development Nurse for Inpatient Units, to find out about the project and results seen.

The Challenge

Darland House, a specialized nursing home for residents with advanced dementia, and Endeavour Suite, the only stroke rehabilitation unit in Medway, were facing significant issues with their existing continence care products. Staff raised concerns that the products being used were not meeting the needs of residents and patients effectively, plus there seemed to be a large overspend but not a consistent availability of products.

“We knew we needed a lot of changes to our process and to our training and Ontex really helped us to make that transition. We worked with them to implement new training programmes and streamline our product usage. We are so happy with the results.” – Lizzy Preston

Upon investigation, it was discovered that the continence products being used were being issued on outdated patient assessments, and the brand of products inconsistent with those being used by the rest of the Medway Community Healthcare (MCH) services.

Using a different supplier and experiencing difficulties in maintaining appropriate stock levels, often running out of essential supplies, was leading to unnecessary stress and disruption in patient care.

Actions Taken

Recognizing the urgent need for change, Lizzy initiated a transition to Ontex continence care products to match the rest of Medway Community Healthcare services. The implementation process included several key steps:

1. Staff Feedback & Assessment

Staff were consulted to identify the key needs of patients and residents regarding continence care. A comprehensive review of existing products was conducted to determine gaps in performance and efficiency. Staff were onboarded into the project, utilising expert nursing and care staff to support the implementation as continence links.

2. Collaboration with Ontex

Ontex representatives, Sally and Tara, provided extensive support in selecting the appropriate products from the Ontex formulary, aligning with other MCH services and matching the current range being used to facilitate a smooth transition. The continence links worked with Lizzy to complete a comprehensive continence assessment for all residents and patients to determine the most suitable product for each individual.

Working collaboratively, they discovered what additional actions would be useful, including printed tools, and information gathering and sharing. This included a bespoke training program developed to educate staff on the proper use of Ontex continence products.

3. Implementation & Training

team, ensuring they understood the importance of individualised continence care through product assessment, functionality, correct usage, and best practices for continence care. To support, they were also provided with posters, stickers, and wardrobe labels in storage areas to support correct product management.

Once initial training was completed, the Ontex team scheduled regular drop-ins to the care settings to offer top-up training, support and troubleshooting as needed.

The continence links continued to drive the changes by offering on the ward training and regular support for all of the staff.

4. Stock Management & Cost Efficiency

One of the issues noted before the change was the inconsistency of supply, which lead staff to ‘borrow’ products from other residents as needed. As part of transitioning to Ontex products, minimum stock levels were established to prevent shortages and ensure product availability.

Orders were streamlined to align with actual needs, reducing unnecessary wastage and excessive spending. This resulted in reduction of not just product wastage, but associated costs such as PPE needed for each product change and cleaning products for leakages as there was reduced leakages. For example, previously there was only one size of fixation pants available and these were treated as single use. Now, there are six sizes available with the additional knowledge that they can be washed and reused, resulting in cost savings and increased sustainability.
This new process required support from a small housekeeping team who supported the clinical team to create a system that worked for all. Ensuring the fixation pants were washed, dried and labelled correctly to return to the individual.

Figure 1

Figure 1 shows that with the knowledge that Darland House gained from the Ontex training, they were able to use the correct pads and reduced their pad usage by over 50%. This also meant that costs for the house went down by 50%. With the knowledge of how to fit the correct pads and how to check them correctly, this meant the residents at the home had less leakage and fewer pad changes, which means less washing and less bed changes etc. This led to a reduction of costs by 133% each month. Giving much needed cash back into the home where it is needed.

Results & Benefits

The transition to Ontex continence care products has yielded multiple positive outcomes for both patients and staff:

Improved Quality of Care

Ontex products have provided quality and comfort, ensuring they support better skin integrity for residents.

Reduced Staff Workload & Enhanced Efficiency

Staff now spend less time on unnecessary pad changes, allowing them to focus on other aspects of care. This was based on training that reminded staff that they should be looking to the wetness indicator line for when a product requires changing, rather than on a impersonalised schedule of time. According to Lizzy, they are reducing inappropriate personal care episodes, which benefits both staff and residents.

Cost Savings

The previous products were not only expensive per unit but also incurred high delivery costs. The switch to Ontex is thought to have significantly reduced expenses due to the combination of the correct product for each resident, staff training and using the product as appropriate.

Standardized Continence Care Across MCH

Aligning with the same formulary as other MCH services has improved consistency, making continence care more efficient and manageable. According to Lizzy, now they are following the same protocols as the rest of Medway, it is making it easier for everyone.

These changes have reduced the amount of product usage and waste, which has had a financial impact as well as positive environmental impact.

‘It has been an absolute pleasure working with Lizzie and the team in Darland and Endeavour. From our very first meeting, throughout the training and implementation phases Lizzie’s professionalism has been invaluable. It’s great to see the change in practice has led to significantly improved continence care for patients while demonstrating exceptional cost savings’ – Sally Belcher, Ontex Account Manager

Looking Ahead

The successful implementation of Ontex continence care products at Darland House and Endeavour Suite is just the beginning. Moving forward, the team aims to:

1. Reinforce Staff Training

Continuous education is essential to ensure all staff remain confident in product use. Plans are in place to create video training resources featuring Ontex experts for ongoing learning.

2. Monitor Outcomes & Adjust as Needed

Regular audits and feedback sessions will be conducted to measure the long-term benefits, including skin integrity, patient comfort, and product usage efficiency. The continence links have created a bespoke audit programme to monitor compliance and process, allowing them to review and make changes according to the user and service need.

3. Further Reduce Costs & Waste Without Comprising Care

By refining ordering processes and stock management, additional cost savings and environmental benefits can be achieved – without comprising care.

4. Establish continuity of care with MCH community continence service.

Lizzy now aims to work in partnership with the continence team to create a continence care pathway for continuity of care between the inpatient units and the community upon patient discharge. This aims to reduce delays in continence product provision once a patient is discharged from the unit and effectively streamline the discharge process.

By addressing the challenges of continence care through the introduction of Ontex products, Darland House and Endeavour Suite have significantly improved patient comfort, staff efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. This case study highlights the power of innovative solutions and collaborative efforts in transforming healthcare environments for the better.