Payment of incontinence pads in care home.

pevensey

Registered User
Feb 14, 2012
286
0
South East Coast.
It's been a long time since I've posted on here but have been reading and replying to posts still. Last time I posted myself it was about MH who was getting steadily worse but refusing to do respite. To cut a long story short he eventually did go for 2 weeks just before lockdown, but while there he had couple mini strokes and his vasculer dementia suddenly got much worse, he lost mobility and speech became difficult, so it was agreed that he should stay there permanently. and he settled after a little while, But as time went on the care home couldnt cope with his needs,he developed really severe cellulitis in both his legs, . He has now been transferred to a nursing home, which has been quite difficult as not being g able to go and see it, before he went there, they let me pick one out online and i found which i hope is a good one, I'm having my first visit this week as hes been isolating for 2 weeks and there very strict with visiting and he was bed bound because of very bad cellulitis in his legs. SO sorry for rambling but my reason for my post is MH since hes been in the nursing home has suddenly become incontinent sometimes double incontinent, and they have asked me if I want to buy his pads or shall they and they will invoice me monthly, it would be about £35 a month. I'm quite surprised as I thought a nursing home would supply pads, Is it me expecting too much or is the normal routine for the supply of incontinence pads. When I rang his previous care home they said they never charge the residents for pads
 

TNJJ

Registered User
May 7, 2019
2,967
0
cornwall
It's been a long time since I've posted on here but have been reading and replying to posts still. Last time I posted myself it was about MH who was getting steadily worse but refusing to do respite. To cut a long story short he eventually did go for 2 weeks just before lockdown, but while there he had couple mini strokes and his vasculer dementia suddenly got much worse, he lost mobility and speech became difficult, so it was agreed that he should stay there permanently. and he settled after a little while, But as time went on the care home couldnt cope with his needs,he developed really severe cellulitis in both his legs, . He has now been transferred to a nursing home, which has been quite difficult as not being g able to go and see it, before he went there, they let me pick one out online and i found which i hope is a good one, I'm having my first visit this week as hes been isolating for 2 weeks and there very strict with visiting and he was bed bound because of very bad cellulitis in his legs. SO sorry for rambling but my reason for my post is MH since hes been in the nursing home has suddenly become incontinent sometimes double incontinent, and they have asked me if I want to buy his pads or shall they and they will invoice me monthly, it would be about £35 a month. I'm quite surprised as I thought a nursing home would supply pads, Is it me expecting too much or is the normal routine for the supply of incontinence pads. When I rang his previous care home they said they never charge the residents for pads
Hi. Pads are normally supplied by the NHS. So they shouldn’t be charging as they are free.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
Pads are supplied by the local continence service irrespective of how the resident is funded although it can be difficult to get a sufficient supply.

I'd be tempted to try a self referral to the continence service giving his address as the nursing home, if they say it's up to the home to make the request inform the home that this is what they should do, else inform the home that the service will be assessing needs.
 

Just me

Registered User
Nov 17, 2013
502
0
I had to be referred by the GP to the continence team and after a phone assessment she now receives free supplies.
Mum isn’t in a home so I don’t know if it’s different.
 
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nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
My wife, both while self funding and CHC, had monthly supplies delivered to the nursing home by the LA.
 

Jaded'n'faded

Registered User
Jan 23, 2019
5,259
0
High Peak
Thinking back, I was actually asked (nicely) if I could buy a couple of packs until they got mum on the system. This was when the incontinence first started. Mum had to be assessed (presumably by the continence nurse/team) and once that had happened she got them for free.

I also recall van loads of the things arriving at the home - presumably they were delivered once a month for those who needed them. At that time they'd stick a few bags in mum's wardrobe.... till she started trying to flog them to me and 'the girls' (staff) as 'sanitary pads'... :oops:?
 

pevensey

Registered User
Feb 14, 2012
286
0
South East Coast.
Thinking back, I was actually asked (nicely) if I could buy a couple of packs until they got mum on the system. This was when the incontinence first started. Mum had to be assessed (presumably by the continence nurse/team) and once that had happened she got them for free.

I also recall van loads of the things arriving at the home - presumably they were delivered once a month for those who needed them. At that time they'd stick a few bags in mum's wardrobe.... till she started trying to flog them to me and 'the girls' (staff) as 'sanitary pads'... :oops:?
 

pevensey

Registered User
Feb 14, 2012
286
0
South East Coast.
Pads are supplied by the local continence service irrespective of how the resident is funded although it can be difficult to get a sufficient supply.

I'd be tempted to try a self referral to the continence service giving his address as the nursing home, if they say it's up to the home to make the request inform the home that this is what they should do, else inform the home that the service will be assessing needs.
 

pevensey

Registered User
Feb 14, 2012
286
0
South East Coast.
Thankyou, I will do that and contact incontinence team and see what they say, the nursing home said they were only allowed a certain amount of pads enough for 3 pads for 24 hrs per resident
 

pevensey

Registered User
Feb 14, 2012
286
0
South East Coast.
Thankyou, I will do that and contact incontinence team and see what they say, the nursing home said they were only allowed a certain amount of pads enough for 3 pads for 24 hrs per resident
Hi. Pads are normally supplied by the NHS. So they shouldn’t be charging as they are free.
Yes that's how I thought it would be, MH is LA funded but thought the pads would come out of this, and £35 a month seems a lot. If I really had to buy them I would get them myself but I have to get bus to nursing home so would be difficult, I will contact incontinent people and see what they say as someone has suggested just now Thankyou
 

pevensey

Registered User
Feb 14, 2012
286
0
South East Coast.
Thankyou nitram, I will do that if i can tomorrow, or asap. The home did day they are rationed ad to how many they recieve but i find that unbelievable in this day and age
 

kindred

Registered User
Apr 8, 2018
2,937
0
Thankyou nitram, I will do that if i can tomorrow, or asap. The home did day they are rationed ad to how many they recieve but i find that unbelievable in this day and age
Oh believe it. ... alas that is true. Kindred.
 

Lone Wolf

Registered User
Sep 20, 2020
195
0
Thankyou, I will do that and contact incontinence team and see what they say, the nursing home said they were only allowed a certain amount of pads enough for 3 pads for 24 hrs per resident
Are 3 pads per 24 hours really acceptable? It means a resident could potentially regularly remain in a soiled pad for in excess of 8 hours. Not only does that mean increased UTI infection and skin integrity risks, but discomfit and loss of dignity too! Surely there must be a maximum acceptable time duration for checking and changing the pads of doubly incontinent dementia patients who are unable to articulate when they need changing?
 

pevensey

Registered User
Feb 14, 2012
286
0
South East Coast.
Are 3 pads per 24 hours really acceptable? It means a resident could potentially regularly remain in a soiled pad for in excess of 8 hours. Not only does that mean increased UTI infection and skin integrity risks, but discomfit and loss of dignity too! Surely there must be a maximum acceptable time duration for checking and changing the pads of doubly incontinent dementia patients who are unable to articulate when they need changing?
My feelings exactly @Lone Wolf it seems unsatisfactory to me. I'm relieved you all agree with me I can now persue the situation and know that I'm not the only one who thinks it's wrong to charge for inco pads, thankyou everyone for your input on my post
 

Quizbunny

Registered User
Nov 20, 2011
156
0
The NHS do generally provide incontinence products within the community. How many per day differs from area to area as does the type of product. In my mums case the type she was given really did not suit her so we found some that do and we buy and have them delivered.
 

Amethyst59

Registered User
Jul 3, 2017
5,776
0
Kent
I buy pull ups for my husband. I understand the NHS pads are not so comfortable or efficient, but to be fair he only ever wore the NHS ones years ago when he was in hospital.
edit...sorry, realise this was not helpful at all. I should have added that when I volunteered to buy them the home did not say that there were other options.
 
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