Functional Bowel Service - Helping you regain confidence and improve your bowel health.
Living with bowel problems can have a significant impact on your daily life, affecting your confidence, work, social activities and overall wellbeing. The Functional Bowel Service provides specialist assessment, education and personalised treatment to help you manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
We understand that bowel symptoms can be difficult to talk about. Our team provides a supportive, confidential and compassionate environment where you can discuss your concerns openly.
Our aim is to help you achieve the best possible bowel function using evidence-based, conservative and specialist management.
About the service
The Functional Bowel Service is a specialist nurse-led service working alongside gastroenterologists, colorectal surgeons, pelvic floor physiotherapists, dietitians and GPs.
We assess adults experiencing bowel dysfunction and provide individualised treatment plans based on your symptoms, medical history and lifestyle.
Our goal is to help you:
• Improve bowel control
• Reduce constipation or diarrhoea
• Improve confidence and independence
• Reduce urgency and accidents
• Improve quality of life
• Avoid unnecessary hospital admissions where possible
Conditions we manage/support
We support patients with a wide range of bowel conditions including:
- Faecal Incontinence : Loss of bowel control ranging from occasional leakage to complete incontinence.
- Chronic Constipation : Difficulty opening your bowels regularly, incomplete emptying or hard stools.
- Obstructed Defacation Syndrome (ODS) : Difficulty emptying the bowel despite the urge to go.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) : Including IBS with constipation, diarrhoea or mixed bowel habit.
- Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS) : Bowel problems following surgery for rectal cancer.
- Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction
- Bowel dysfunction associated with neurological conditions such as:
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson's disease
• Stroke
• Spinal cord injury
• Diabetes - Pelvic Floor Dysfunction : Problems with coordination of the pelvic floor muscles affecting bowel emptying.
- Diverticular Disease : Advice on dietary management and symptom control.
- Functional Bowel Disorders : Persistent bowel symptoms where no structural bowel disease has been identified.
Treatments we offer
Every treatment plan is tailored to the individual. Depending on your symptoms, this may include:
- Lifestyle Advice
- Fluid optimisation
- Fibre advice
- Diet modification
- Toilet positioning
- Establishing a bowel routine
- Physical activity
Medication review
Advice regarding:
- Laxatives
- Anti-diarrhoeal medication
- Stool softeners
- Rectal preparations
(in conjunction with your GP or Consultant)
- Bowel Retraining : Helping your bowel establish a regular, predictable routine.
- Pelvic Floor Advice : Working alongside specialist pelvic floor physiotherapists.
Transanal Irrigation
Transanal irrigation (TAI) is a bowel management technique in which water is gently introduced into the rectum using a soft silicone cone or catheter to help empty the rectum and lower part of the colon.
Assessment and training for:
• Coloplast systems
• Qufora systems
• Aquaflush systems
• Navina systems where clinically appropriate.
Rectal Irrigation Follow-up
Support with:
• Troubleshooting
• Technique
• Equipment adjustments
• Long-term management
Anal Plugs
Anal plugs (also called anal inserts or continence plugs) are small, soft devices designed to sit gently inside the anal canal.
They can be used as part of bowel management for people who experience faecal incontinence or leakage.
Assessment and advice regarding anal inserts where appropriate.
Education and Self-management : Helping you understand your bowel condition and become confident in managing it independently.
Sacral Nerve Stimulation (SNS) - Specialist support for patients using SNS to manage bowel disorders
Our Functional Bowel Service provides specialist assessment, management and ongoing support for patients who have sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) as part of their treatment for bowel dysfunction.
SNS may be considered for selected patients with bowel control problems, particularly where conservative treatments have not provided sufficient symptom relief.
We recognise that managing SNS is an ongoing process. Our team provides personalised support to help patients understand their treatment, manage their bowel symptoms and get the most benefit from their SNS therapy.
Our support may include:
- Assessment and education regarding SNS
- Support before and after SNS treatment
- Review of bowel symptoms and treatment outcomes
- Advice on bowel management alongside SNS
- Troubleshooting and practical support
- Monitoring and follow-up
- Liaison with colorectal, gastroenterology and specialist SNS teams
- Advice regarding changes in bowel symptoms
- Long-term support and self-management
Our aim is to ensure that patients feel confident and supported throughout their SNS journey, while helping them achieve the best possible bowel function and quality of life.
What happens at your appointment?
During your appointment we will discuss:
- Your bowel symptoms
- Medical history
- Previous investigations
- Current medication
- Diet and fluid intake
- Daily routine
- Impact on your quality of life
You may also be asked to complete a bowel diary before your appointment. Together we will develop an individual management plan.
Before your appointment, please bring:
- A list of your medications
- Your bowel diary (if requested)
- A list of any questions
- Details of any previous bowel investigations
Frequently asked questions
Referral information
Referrals are accepted from:
- General Practitioners
- Gastroenterologists
- Colorectal Surgeons
- Hospital Consultants
- Specialist Nurses
Referral criteria may apply depending on your local service.
Key staff
- Tracey Bailey – Clinical nurse specialist, functional bowel
- Prudencia Belle - Clinical nurse specialist, functional bowel
Instruction
If you have been sent a patient pack containing information leaflets before your appointment please bring the bowel diary with you.
No physical preparation is required for this treatment.
You will be able to travel home and continue with your normal activities afterwards.
What will happen to me?
You will see a clinical nurse specialist for your treatment. Your first consultation will involve a detailed assessment of your bowel symptoms, general health, diet, and medications that you may be taking, and other factors that may influence your bowel function.
Using this information and the results of any investigations you may have had, the nurse will discuss the likely causes of your problems and plan a treatment programme for you to work on together. The nurse will explain anything that you need to know.
Verbal and written advice will be given. This may include changes to your current medications, diet and lifestyle. The advice may include specific exercises for you to complete.
We may refer you for further tests, investigations and other health professionals should they be needed or if they have not already been completed. They will be explained to you during your clinic appointment and any questions you have about them answered
Confidentiality
The process of treating you is highly individual and personal to you. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible with us and be confident that any information you give us remains confidential.
Accessability
We are committed to making our service accessible to everyone.
If you require:
- An interpreter
- Large print
- Easy Read information
- Wheelchair access
Please let us know before your appointment.
Our commitment
We recognise that bowel problems can be distressing and sometimes embarrassing. Our team is committed to providing compassionate, respectful and personalised care. We will work with you to understand your symptoms, identify practical solutions, and support you in achieving the best possible quality of life.
Patient support links
Referral information
You can be referred to the functional bowel nurse led service by your consultant, health care professional or GP.