If you are one of the estimated 14 million people with a bladder condition or the 6.5 million people with a bowel condition in the UK, you will know that needing the toilet frequently can be an urgent requirement and you will often need to go at just a moment’s notice.
At the Bladder & Bowel Community, it is our aim to stop you from feeling isolated in your own home and governed by your need to use the toilet, and instead, assist you in having access to the freedom enjoyed by everyone else.
To do this, over the past 18 months, we have launched a range of services all designed to make life easier for those suffering from bladder and bowel conditions. The first of these services was the relaunch of the Just Can’t Wait Card and importantly, making it free of charge for our community members.
A Lifeline To Those Who Need It
By removing the price barrier from the Just Can’t Wait Card, we have seen significant numbers of applications for this. With more than 25,000 Bladder & Bowel Community Just Can’t Wait Card holders in the UK, we are proud that we are assisting to raise awareness of the fact that far more accessible toilets are needed across the UK.
The Just Can’t Wait Card provides a simple way of explaining to others the holder needs to urgently use the toilet. The card can be used in shops, cafes and restaurants across the country to grant access to facilities which otherwise would be out of bounds. Since its launch, the card has received hundreds of positive reviews from people who have used it and we are frequently told how we are providing a lifeline to those who suffer from bladder and bowel conditions.
Providing further convenience to those in need, we have also brought the ‘Just Can’t Wait’ toilet card firmly into the 21st century with the launch of an iOS app. Providing members with the same ability to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation by quickly explaining their urgent need to use a toilet, the app allows access to the card everywhere you have your phone. In addition to featuring a digital version of the card, which is displayed on the device screen, the app also features a map to help locate the nearest toilet to where the app is being used. Providing constant engagement, the app also provides quick and easy access to everything the Community has to offer.
Becoming A One-Stop Shop For Those In Need
Based on the successes of the Just Can’t Wait Card, we saw the opportunity to become a one-stop shop for those with bladder and bowel related conditions. Already providing members with all kinds of advice and information to help with their daily lives, the Community took this one step further in July 2017 with the launch of the Bladder & Bowel Community Home Delivery Service. Partnering with Bullen Healthcare to operate this, community members are now able to be provided with a service which takes care of appliance and prescription requirements, utilising a discreet delivery service.
Centered around the individual, when signing up to the service members are assigned a personal adviser, who will get to know their specific needs, and the prescriptions and appliances they require. It is then arranged to have these sent out every month, or as needed.
With the service, the designated personal adviser is available to contact at any time. Whilst the Rapid Response Team is on call 365 days a year to ensure members always have access to the items they need.
