Greater Manchester Neurogenic Bladder and Bowel Service Experience Day
On 29th October, our Facilitator Cillian O’Briain attended the Greater Manchester Neurogenic Bladder and Bowel Service (GMNBBS) Experience Day, hosted by Coloplast at their headquarters in Peterborough. The company are a leading developer and supplier of products for personal and private medical conditions such as continence.
The event showcased the collaborative work facilitated by the network involving Coloplast, local continence, spinal and neurorehabilitation teams, charities, and people with lived experience. The group developed a gold-standard neurogenic bladder and bowel pathway for the region and, in January 2025, a dedicated GMNBBS was launched to embed this pathway into practice.
The service is funded and operated by Coloplast but the team provide whatever continence products and support is required by the patient, regardless of their supplier. The service has a specialist neurogenic bladder and bowel nurse who now provides clinics and home visits, significantly reducing patient wait times and improving care experiences.
During the visit, we explored how Coloplast supports the new service, from administrators managing diaries and call handlers following up with patients, to the warehouse where products are packaged and shipped. It was an informative day that highlighted the complexity of operations and the expertise of the teams involved.
A highlight was hearing from a patient who had actually used the service. They shared how accessing the GMNBBS improved their health and wellbeing, describing the approach as highly person-centred and holistic. From receiving the appointment, attending clinic, follow-up care, and managing prescriptions, every step was considered and coordinated, leaving no gaps in support.
We are very proud of our collaboration to develop the GMNBBS, and we recently won an award from Bladder and Bowel UK for the initiative.