Urogynaecology

We are based at Bradford Royal Infirmary in the Women’s Health Unit on ward M2 of the Women’s and Newborn Unit.

The British Society of Urogynaecology (BSUG) awarded Accreditation for the Urogynaecology Unit at Bradford Teaching Hospitals in June 2016, joining 13 other units across the country.

Our integrated care pathway from primary to secondary care was highly praised and it was recognised that our standards, experience and expertise are such as to justify NHS England commissioning for complex pelvic floor procedures which are likely to come into force shortly.

The Urogynaecology team provides a wide range of services for patients including those with problems relating to prolapse, overactive bladder, urinary incontinence, perineal trauma during childbirth, voiding problems, recurrent urinary tract infections and bladder pain syndrome. We work closely with specialist physiotherapists, continence advisers, colorectal surgeons and urologists as part of the multidisciplinary team.

We run consultant led clinics each week, including those on:

• New referrals from local GPs, the community continence service and from outside the area
• Follow-up consultations reviewing treatments and following surgical procedures
• Joint Urogynaecology/Colorectal pelvic floor clinic
• Obstetric tear clinic
• Urodynamics clinic
• Vulval clinic
• Research clinics

We run various nurse-led clinics:

• Telephone follow-up clinics
• Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation clinic (PTNS)
• Nurse-led bladder instillation clinic
• Nurse-led pessary clinic
• Research clinic
• Trial without catheter clinic

We offer up-to-date evidence-based interventions and treatments and are actively involved in clinical research.

As we are a teaching hospital there may be medical and nursing students and junior staff involved in patient care under close supervision.

We hold regular multidisciplinary meetings with the whole team to discuss complex and interesting cases.

At your first appointment you will be greeted by a member of staff. You will have your height and weight checked to calculate your body mass index.

You may get asked to fill in a symptom questionnaire via your NHS app prior to your appointment. You will get a message sent to you phone if you are required to do this.

Please bring a sample of urine with you along with a list of your current medications.

The consultant or specialist nurse will then take a detailed medical history from you. You will then be examined with a chaperone in the clinic if requested.

A plan of care will be formulated between you and the health professional with a clear plan of when you will be seen again.

Information leaflets may be given to explain your condition or procedure.

You may be asked to complete a bladder diary.

You are welcome to bring a relative or friend of your choice for support during your appointment.

• Pelvic Health Physiotherapy Service
• The British Society of Urogynaecology
• The British Association of Urological Surgeons

Consultant secretaries

• Dr Ramage: 01274 362691
• Dr Robertson: 01274 364889
• Dr Sam Crowther: 01274 362691
• Dr Victoria Brown: 01274 382633
• Urodynamics and Urogynaecology: 01274 362691
• Nurses: 01274 382633

Women’s Health Unit

• M2: 01274 383342

We welcome patient feedback ranging from compliments and comments, to concerns and complaints.

We appreciate at times things don’t always go quite as expected and we would encourage you to  raise your concerns to a member of staff in the first instance. In many cases it should be possible to remedy an issue immediately talking to the person you have already been dealing with, or perhaps their manager.

If you are not happy with the care and support you have received on a ward or within a department, we would urge you to contact the Trust’s Patient Experience Department (formerly PALS and Complaints).

Most of our clinicians can only ask questions and examine patients using English. If patients are not fluent in English a translator may be needed. All our translators are bound by rules of confidentiality.

Either the patient’s GP or relatives may let us know of the patient’s needs. Relevant contact details will also be provided on the appointment letter.

It should be noted that although relatives can be very helpful as translators, we often need to use medical vocabulary which needs a trained translator. People are also often uncomfortable discussing all aspects of their medical history with a relative.

Translators and interpreters are available for the majority of languages and can be arranged for each appointment. A period of 24-hours notice is recommended.

If you are unable to attend your appointment it is important that you telephone 01274 274274 so that we can offer this date to another patient and arrange a new appointment date with you.

Please be aware that if you do not attend, or if you cancel and re-book your appointment on more than one occasion, you may be referred back to the care of your GP.