Intermittent urethral catheters for chronic incomplete bladder emptying in adults: late-stage assessment

You should have access to intermittent urethral catheters for chronic incomplete bladder emptying that are clinically appropriate for you, and meet your needs and preferences.

You and your healthcare professional should decide together which catheters to use (see the NICE page on shared decision making). Decisions should take into account how comfortable and easy to use the catheters are and the risk of infection.

Things to consider when managing chronic incomplete bladder emptying

• You should be told about the range of catheters available and given a choice of suitable catheters.
• You might need more than 1 type of catheter to suit different settings and situations.
• You should be given training on how to insert and remove a temporary catheter (intermittent catheterisation).
• If catheters that you are using cause complications, such as pain or discomfort, urinary tract infection or bleeding, you should be supported to see if changing the catheter type helps.

Information and support

The NHS webpage on urinary catheters may be a good place to find out more.

Bladder Health UK (0121 702 0820) can give you advice and support.

You can also get support from your local Healthwatch.

NICE is not responsible for the quality or accuracy of any information or advice provided by these organisations.

ISBN: 978‑1‑4731‑7099‑5