About Us
Introduction
The Continence Foundation of Australia (the Foundation), established in 1989, is a not-for-profit organisation and national body for incontinence prevention, management, education, awareness, information and advocacy.
As a national body, it is represented in each Australian state and territory.
The Foundation is supported by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care with funding under the National Continence Program, the Western Sydney Local Health District (NSW Government) and the Victorian Government Department of Health.
Vision
An Australian community free of the stigma and restrictions of all aspects of incontinence across the lifespan.
Purpose
Eliminate the stigma and restrictions of all aspects of incontinence through research, advocacy, solutions, consumer education and professional development.
Values
We will fulfil our vision and purpose and make a difference by conducting ourselves with:
1. Accountability - We are responsible for our individual and team actions and behaviours, and the outcomes they produce.
2. Respect - We will respect each person within our organisation and all external individuals and stakeholders.
3. Integrity - We will act with integrity and be open and honest, within our teams and the organisation, and when dealing with all external individuals and stakeholders.
4. Inclusiveness - There are no barriers to engagement and participation, no one is excluded, and diversity is celebrated.
Our Strategic Plan pillars include
Be a unified body that has the governance and organisational capacity to deliver our vision and purpose.
Be a leading peak body that is widely recognised and acknowledged nationally and internationally as the Australian expert voice for continence.
Ensure better access to high quality continence information, resources, education and services in Australia.
Grow successfully and sustainably to ensure we can continue to achieve our vision and purpose.
Michelle Kenway presenting at the National Conference on Incontinence 2024.
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Joint Message from the Chair and Chief Executive Officer
On behalf of the Board of Directors and our new CEO, Dr Gian Sberna, we look back with pride as we reflect on this transformative period for the Continence Foundation of Australia (the Foundation).
In 2024 we farewelled our long-serving CEO Rowan Cockerell. Together with staff, members and our broader community, we have all worked to build the influence and impact of the Foundation on the lives of individuals and on the services that they need. Rowan’s work brought together disparate State Continence Foundation of Australia organisations into one strong national organisation, which is a substantial legacy of hers and has positioned the Foundation to become the strong national leader of policy and services that will benefit continence health throughout our Australian population into the future. We thank Rowan for her immense commitment and impact on the Foundation and the wider community.
This year has been pivotal, marking a new phase of growth and evolution for our organisation as we build upon 35 years of dedication to continence health and set ambitious goals for the future.
The highly anticipated update to the Deloitte Cost of Incontinence in Australia report, initially undertaken in 2010, was completed in 2023/2024. The clinical
experts on our Board contributed significantly to this report which highlights that over 7.2 million Australians aged 15 and over are affected by incontinence to some degree. An estimated 2.4 million men and 4.8 million women experienced some level of urinary and/or faecal incontinence in 2023. This is a 53% increase since the last national study. In monetary figures the report found that ‘The financial cost of incontinence in 2023 was $66.6 billion, with an additional $33.8 billion in lost wellbeing for people living with incontinence’. We have so much work to do to raise awareness of incontinence, reduce the stigma surrounding it and to drive positive policy, workforce education uplift and health delivery outcomes.
The strength of our community to do just that was evident at our 32nd National Conference on Incontinence in Brisbane in May 2024. With the theme ‘Engage. Innovate. Lead’ where over 500 delegates, partners, stakeholders and advocates came together. It was wonderful to have our government partners also present at the conference to hear the latest research and current evidence-based best practice. Also, it was a great opportunity to meet the nurses, physiotherapists, allied-health professionals, medical specialists, researchers and other health professionals that make a difference in continence health for the
About Us
millions of Australians impacted every year. The year also saw the development of our new 3 year strategic plan, and we progressed new initiatives such as My Continence Care that will improve training for those working in aged care and home care settings to deliver improved health outcomes. We are working to ensure every Australian affected by bladder and bowel conditions receives the care, treatment, support, and dignity they deserve. This means also ensuring our members and the wider clinical health community have the training they need to deliver better outcomes. Each Continence Foundation of Australia State and Territory Advisory Committee also continued delivering important workshops and training to members around the country.
We are particularly proud of our learning initiatives, which are equipping the next generation of health professionals with the skills and knowledge to set new benchmarks in continence health.
Collaboration remains a cornerstone of our strategy. By working closely with government partners and the healthcare community, we will be partnering with the Commonwealth Government to provide input into the next National Continence Action Plan that will shape the future of continence care in Australia.
As the demand for our services grows, especially within our ageing population, we are committed to ensuring that no one is left behind. Tough decisions were also made by the Board during the period, such as the very difficult decision to close the Foundation delivery of clinical services in all states. These services were small scale (although big impact for those receiving them). The Board made this decision to focus on driving large-scale change from a policy, research, education and advocacy position and supporting those who deliver services, rather than delivering them ourselves. We thank all those who worked tirelessly to deliver these services over many years. Looking ahead, we are energised by the possibilities. Our vision is clear: an Australia free from the stigma and barriers of incontinence, where every individual can live confidently and without limitations.
We are strengthening our services, broadening our influence, and forging powerful partnerships to make a lasting impact. By staying true to our values and focusing on the needs of those affected by incontinence, we are not only growing but transforming lives and reshaping how continence health is understood and supported in Australia.
Thank you to the tireless work of the Board of Directors for their leadership and clinical expertise and to our members for their ongoing contribution and support. Thank you also to the passion and hard work of the Foundation staff who have been instrumental in driving the organisation through a year of significant change. We also need to mention our Acting CEO and Finance Manager, Paula Hay, who stepped up to lead the organisation for a period before the appointment of our permanent CEO.
Together, we are building a brighter future for all Australians. The journey ahead is full of promise, and we are confident that, with the passion and commitment of our team, we will create a lasting, positive impact.
Elizabeth Compton, Chair
Dr Gian Sberna, Chief Executive Officer
Performance Highlights
Education
MORE THAN LEARNERS
Events
OVER
Health Promotion
400 OVER
ATTENDEES at the 32nd National Conference on Incontinence
ATTENDEES and 32 exhibitors at the State and Territory Advisory Committee Education Days
Marketing and Communications
3,129,884 7,431,569 40,669
1,655 1,605 50 500
TOTAL WEBSITE USERS
IMPRESSIONS across all social media
DIGITAL COPIES of Bridge Magazine distributed
19,000 4,000
ORGANISATIONS
900 CONSULTED WITH OVER
PEOPLE AT RISK
including 26 local councils have now installed men’s incontinence product disposal bins in response to BINS4Blokes campaign 60 OVER of pelvic floor dysfunction about their pelvic floor health
3 C0-DESIGNED
NEW SHORT VIDEOS: “Wee Stories” about urinary incontinence
Membership
TOTAL MEMBERS of the Foundation
Membership Breakdown
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS
CORPORATE AND ORGANISATIONAL MEMBERS
Clinical Support
CALLS TO THE HELPLINE
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Funding
In 2023/2024 the Foundation’s programs were primarily funded through the Commonwealth Government Department of Health. This year the Foundation received $4.3 million in National Continence Program funding and $1.2 million in My Continence Care funding from the Commonwealth Government. A total of $444,000 in funding was also received through state governments. An additional amount of $125,000 was received through membership fee income and the Foundation received a small number of donations.
Rebrand Project
In 2023 the Foundation commenced a rebrand project to develop a new and modern corporate identity. The Foundation’s brand had used the same marketing design concepts since its inception in 1989 and as such did not reflect the present-day continence health landscape.
The rebrand, including a new name, will aim to strengthen the Foundation’s market position through increased brand awareness given that only 6% of the general population and 28% of health professionals are aware of the Foundation’s current brand.
Through consultation with members, and input from the Board, the Foundation has developed a final brand concept which represents the need to shine a light on continence health. The new logo, colour palette and collateral materials use navy and contrasting orange tones, representing trust and security as well as optimism and energy. The logo is based on a spotlight, a literal representation of ‘shining a light’.
In 2024/2025 the new brand will be rolled out across all aspects of the Foundation’s touchpoints including the website, social media channels, resources and templates. In addition to the changes to the logo and colour palette, the Foundation will also update its tone of voice, photography and visual elements to align with the new brand.
Janet Chase and Terry Poulton, Sydney, 1995.
Colleen McCullough, previous patron. Associate Professor Richard Millard, Life Member of the Continence Foundation of Australia.
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First Nations Engagement and Participation
Genuine engagement with First Nations people is a key aspect in addressing the health risks associated with incontinence and improving their overall health and wellbeing. In 2023 the Foundation developed its First Nations Engagement and Participation Strategy (the Strategy), in consultation with Indigenous Workforce Consulting, to inform better and more culturally appropriate engagement with First Nations communities.
The Strategy was launched internally in November 2023, and in March 2024 the Foundation engaged Agency in Design to develop an operational guide to support staff in applying the Strategy. The operational guideline was developed in collaboration with staff, Board members and members of the Foundation’s Consumer Advisory Committee through participation in Indigenous Knowledge Informed Design workshops held by Agency in Design.
The majority of Foundation staff have now completed Indigenous Awareness training as have a number of the Foundation’s Board and subcommittee members.
Through involving staff and the Board in the development of guidelines, and through participation in awareness training, the Foundation has built upon its internal capacity to apply the engagement principles outlined in the Strategy.
Janet Chase and Terry Poulton, Sydney, 1995
Staff in-person workshop activity.
Staff in-person workshop, March 2024, Melbourne. Led by Agency Design Directors Josh Creighton and Sheldon ‘SJ’ Harrington.
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Closure of Clinical Services
In early 2024 the Foundation announced that its clinical service program would cease following a change in strategic direction with a focus on improving quality and assurance activities across continence care services, rather than the Foundation directly providing these services. The Commonwealth Home Support Program and paediatric services provided in NSW ceased prior to 30 June 2024.
The Foundation would like to recognise the important role performed by the clinical services program in connecting people receiving Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) and/or National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding with the Foundation. The Foundation would also like to thank all of the staff, including the Nurse Continence Specialists, who provided these services to the community.
Between November 2022, when a new model of clinical services was implemented, and April 2024, the clinical services program provided services on more than 900 occasions. In addition to providing direct care, the program also provided indirect services including education and health promotion.
Exhibiting at the WSLHD Integrated and Community Health Event.
Exhibiting at the Building Capacity Conference in May.
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Board of Directors
Elizabeth Compton Chair
Elizabeth has extensive experience as a Board Director and senior executive, with 25 years’ experience working in London, Amsterdam, New York and Australia. She is a Non-Executive Director (NED) of Southern Cross Care (SCC) (SA, NT, VIC) a large, aged care/ retirement living and home care organisation.
At SCC she is also the Chair of the People & Culture Committee (noting SCC has approximately 2,800 staff) and a member of the Board Asset Management sub-committee. Additionally, Elizabeth is also a NED of RMIT Training.
In 2024 Elizabeth commenced as the CEO of Urban Camp, a not-for-profit organisation supporting young people to thrive in urban settings through camps and experiences.
She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, holds an Executive Leadership Certificate from the Harvard Business School, a MA in International and European Relations and a BA in Psychology and Sociology.
As a founding member of the Continence Foundation of Australia, Rosemary has brought extensive experience to the Board having worked in health and aged care policy and services within non-government, state government and Commonwealth government settings. She has also held senior Prof Rosemary Calder AM Director
executive roles in both Victorian and Commonwealth government health departments.
Rosemary is currently a Professor of Health Policy and the Director of the Australian Health Policy Collaboration, a national preventative health policy project supported by Victoria University.
Celia Bolton Director
Celia brings to the Board strong practical physiotherapist experience having worked as a continence and pelvic health physiotherapist since 1996. She is the founding Director of the multidisciplinary private practice Innerstrength Healthcare located in Geelong.
Celia has been a member of the Continence Foundation of Australia since 1999 and served on the Foundation’s Physiotherapy Group (Victoria Committee) for 8 years.
Her interest in neuroscience, trauma and teaching meditation informs and broadens her outlook on continence prevention and management.
Lesley Barton Director
Lesley is a qualified and committed healthcare professional, with a focus on the area of continence management and improving outcomes for individuals. Lesley is an educator, quality auditor, and is involved with clinical governance.
She works nationally and internationally with teams on the latest research and health improvements to meet the needs of organisations, staff and individuals.
In 2024, Lesley supported the clinical governance of the Foundation’s My Continence Care project through her role as Chair of the Steering Committee.
Dr Janet Chase Director
Janet is a founding member of the Continence Foundation of Australia and a physiotherapist whose chosen area of practice is the treatment of incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction in women, men and children. She has a strong interest in continence education and her published papers include research on adults and children.
Janet is passionate about evidence-based paediatric care, previously served as the Chair of the Foundation’s Paediatric Advisory Committee and is a former Board member of the International Children’s Continence Society (ICCS). Janet is currently the Asia Pacific representative of the ICCS.
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Board of Directors
Jacinta Crickmore Director
Jacinta’s passion is improving consumer experience, having first gained insight on the incontinence issues faced by consumers from her work in healthcare sales with SCA Hygiene. She became the company’s Queensland representative and an active member of the Continence Foundation of Australia’s
Queensland Branch, of which she was secretary for five years.
In 2014, Jacinta became a member of the Foundation’s Consumer Advisory Committee, which she currently chairs. In 2015, she was appointed as a consumer representative on the Board and the Bladder Bowel Collaborative Steering Committee.
Claire brings to the Board corporate acumen as a Partner at KPMG with a broad range of finance, risk, governance, compliance, assurance and audit experience.
With her passion in healthcare and government, Claire advises organisations operating in health, ageing, Claire Richards Director disability, human services, justice and higher education sectors, focusing on safeguarding integrity and the community’s trust in the outcomes that these organisations deliver.
Dr Kathryn Sloots Director
Kathryn provides a wealth of clinical knowledge and experience as a registered nurse with a science degree and PhD, and experience in bowel and bladder continence care (including anorectal biofeedback, urodynamics, research and education).
She has published papers on bowel continence, presented at continence conferences,
and is actively involved in national and state-based committees of the Foundation.
Kathryn is passionate about promoting bowel and bladder continence, increasing awareness and information for health professionals and the public, and improving access to quality continence care.
Prof Kate Moore Director (Commenced in February 2024)
Kate is an experienced urogynaecologist and has been a member of the Continence Foundation of Australia since 1991. She was editor of the Continence Journal of Australia from 1997 to 2001.
Kate established the Pelvic Floor Unit at St George Hospital/University of New
South Wales in 1992, a regional referral unit for urinary and faecal incontinence. Her main research interests are the aetiology, management of urge incontinence, detrusor overactivity and conservative therapy of stress incontinence (having 151 peer reviewed publications to her name). Continence promotion and quality education are longstanding passions of Kate.
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Board Sub-Committees
Australian and New Zealand Continence Journal Committee
A/Prof Christian Moro (Chair and Editor)
A/Prof Wendy Bower
Prof Russ Chess-Williams
Jean Hay-Smith
Anna Lawrence (Continence New Zealand)
Prof Kate Moore
Charlotte Phelps
A/Prof Dr Vincent Tse
Elizabeth Watt
Dr Gian Sberna (Continence Foundation of Australia)
Laura Fear (Continence New Zealand)
Consumer Advisory Committee
Jacinta Crickmore (Chair)
Margaret Bambrick
Audrey Burgin
Anja Christoffersen (left office November 2023)
Keith Davies (left office November 2023)
Leanne Murphy (from May 2024)
Dr Kathryn Sloots
Alan White
Bethia Wilson AM
Christin Young (from May 2024)
Rowan Cockerell (Continence Foundation of Australia)
Dr Gian Sberna (Continence Foundation of Australia)
Daniyela Rob (Continence Foundation of Australia)
Sharon Porteous (Continence Foundation of Australia)
Joanne Sinclair (Continence Foundation of Australia)
Finance Audit and Risk Management Committee
Claire Richards (Chair)
Lesley Barton (commenced November 2023)
Michael Corry
Jacinta Crickmore
Dr Gian Sberna (Continence Foundation of Australia)
Paula Hay (Continence Foundation of Australia)
32nd National Conference on Incontinence
Scientific Committee
Dr Marg Sherburn (Co-Chair)
Dr Vivien Wong (Co-Chair)
Prof Russ Chess-Williams
Rebecca Khan
Dr Elizabeth Dally
Angela Khera
Chris Myers
Dr Kathryn Sloots
Julie Westaway
Local Organising Committee
Rowan Cockerell (until March 2024, Continence Foundation of Australia)
Rosa Siderelis (Continence Foundation of Australia)
Policy Advisory Committee
Prof Rosemary Calder AM (Chair)
Dr Janet Chase
Anita Francis (left office February 2024)
Odette Gaynor (commenced May 2024)
Claire Hobson (commenced May 2024)
Kate Kerr (commenced May 2024)
Sophie Petrov
Claire Richards (commenced November 2023)
Alan White
Dr Gian Sberna (Continence Foundation of Australia)
Quality and Clinical Governance Committee
Lesley Barton (Chair)
Celia Bolton
Keren Day
Claire Hobson (commenced May 2024)
Claire Richards
Peta Titter
Daniyela Rob (Continence Foundation of Australia)
Patron
Bethia Wilson AM
Chief Executive Officer
Rowan Cockerell (finished March 2024)
Paula Hay (acting, March 2024 – May 2024)
Dr Gian Sberna (commenced May 2024)
Company Secretary
Michael Corry (left office March 2024)
Felicity Maddern (commenced February 2024)
Solicitors
JRT Partnership Pty Ltd (to June 2024)
Que Legal (commenced June 2024)
Auditor
Walker Wayland Advantage
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Membership
The Foundation offers a range of membership types including professional, corporate, organisational, individual and student memberships.
In return for a small membership fee, which is used to support the work of the Foundation, members also receive the following benefits:
• Access to exclusive industry content including journals, conference materials and other publications.
• Access to discounted registration for Foundation and partner events.
• Networking opportunities with other continence community professionals.
For more information about membership, visit www.continence.org.au/get-involved/memberships
Membership types
• Opportunities to apply professional experience through contributing to publications and presenting at events and webinars.
• Contributing to the future of continence care through sharing knowledge, informing submissions to Government and voting at Annual General Meetings.
As of 30 June 2024, the Foundation had a membership base of 1,655 members comprised of the following member types:
The total of 1,605 members and 50 Corporate/Organisational members represents a total net gain of 170 members (equivalent to 11.5% of the total membership base) from 30 June 2023.
As seen in the graphs above, 97.5% of the individual membership base is comprised of health professionals. There are also 18 members who hold honorary or life membership.
78% of the Corporate/Organisational membership are manufacturers and suppliers, with the remaining 22% consisting of organisations, institutions and bodies.
The total of 1,655 members is the largest the Foundation’s member base has been. Further growing the Foundation’s membership base will be a priority for 2025.
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Membership base locations
There are 1,605 members who are not represented as a Corporate or Organisational body. These are Professional, Individual and Student memberships who are located across Australia.
Although Victoria remains the region with the largest membership base, the region with the greatest growth in membership (both in terms of the number of members as well as percentage) was Queensland. As Queensland hosted NCOI24 during this financial year, this likely had a direct impact of member numbers.
There are also a small number of members from overseas including New Zealand, Asia and Europe.
members
Base locations for Professional, Individual and Student Members
As demonstrated above, nursing membership comprises over 50% of the total professional membership base. During this financial year, the nursing membership base grew by 16.4% in real terms. Currently, allied health professionals account for a third of the total professional membership base.
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State and Territory Advisory Committees
The State and Territory Advisory Committees (STAC) organise regular education events which are offered in most states annually. These educational events provide an informative professional development, networking and learning opportunity for health professionals across Australia and overseas working in bladder, bowel and pelvic floor health.
STAC Education Days in summary
This year the Foundation held 4 Education Days between the start of September and the end of October, across New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland. With more than 400 people and 32 exhibitors in attendance, the Education Day program highlights included urodynamics, practical bowel management, neuromodulation, male pelvic health and the link between ageing and the bladder and bowel.
Delegates at the State Education Day.
Delegates attending a presentation at the State Education Day.
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Continence Foundation of Australia
Physiotherapy Special Interest Group
During the year the Physiotherapy Special Interest Group, which initially began as a Victorian organisation, finalised its amalgamation into a national organisation. Members have joined from across the country, including Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania. The Group promotes excellence in the delivery of continence and pelvic health physiotherapy services, ensuring a high standard of practice in continence and pelvic health assessment and management. They provide accessible highlevel professional development to members and education to people of all ages living with incontinence and/or pelvic floor dysfunction. With over 150 members, the group has grown over the previous 12 months through an active educational platform offering, specific to the needs of physiotherapists who manage continence care in the community.
Key achievements of the Physiotherapy Special Interest Group for 2023/2024 included:
• Supporting physiotherapy workshops and hosting the Physiotherapy Forum at the National Conference on Incontinence. These events provided vital face-to-face educational and networking opportunities to over 75 physiotherapists.
• Delivery of the Physiotherapy – Paediatric Lecture Series, presented by Janet Chase, which provided 8 CPD hours of learning to physiotherapists who work with children.
• Hosting several educational webinars with highlights including the Exercise During Pregnancy and Return to Sport webinar which involved connecting international keynote speakers with over 200 registrants, and the Menopause: Don’t Sweat It webinar, which over 150 registrants attended.
Education will continue to be a focus in 2024/25 with a full-day workshop planned on Men’s Health including a focus on peri-prostatectomy and a number of masterclasses on stool manipulation, rectal balloon training, real-time ultrasound and gender reaffirming surgery planned. For further information, including how to join the Physiotherapy Special Interest Group go to: www.cfaphysios.com.au/membership/
Colleen McCullough, previous patron.
Associate Professor Richard Millard, Life Member of the Continence Foundation of Australia
Physiotherapy Forum hosted by the Physiotherapy Special Interest Group.
Physiotherapy Forum at the National Conference on Incontinence.
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National Conference on Incontinence (NCOI) Scholarship Program
Since 2012 the Foundation has been running the NCOI Scholarship Program to support rural and regional health professionals to attend the National Conference on Incontinence. On average the Foundation awards 10 scholarships each year.
The scholarship includes:
• registration for the NCOI Conference including the Conference Dinner and Clinical Workshops
• travel (including airfares) and accommodation costs.
In May 2024 the Foundation held NCOI 2024 in Brisbane which received a record number of NCOI scholarship program applications. Of the 55 applications received, 35 applicants were nurses and 20 physiotherapists.
Given the number and the quality of applications received, a total of 14 scholarships were awarded.
“
Overall, my conference experience has been highly valuable and one I intend to repeat. The value of learning, networking and bonding, with the bonus of great food, fascinating presentations and an immersion in all things continence has been priceless.”
Naomi Case, nurse
In 2024/25 the scholarship application guidelines will be revised to broaden eligibility to all continence health care professionals.
“I feel that I have been able to bring the ‘city to the country’ providing my rural and remote patients with the latest cutting-edge information and technology that all Australians should have access to, regardless of where they live. My community thanks you!”
Jennifer Wockner, physiotherapist
Winners of the NCOI Scholarship Program.
Winners of the State and Territory Advisory Committee Scholarship.
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Partnering with Consumers
To ensure that the services, programs and resources provided by the Foundation are accessible, appropriate and meet the needs of the public, the Foundation partners with those with lived experience of incontinence and their carers.
The importance of engaging with consumers is outlined in the Foundation’s ‘Partnering with Consumers Framework’ which details processes for engagement, participation and capacity building including through the Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) and the Continence Consumer Network (CCN).
The CAC is a Board sub-committee that provides strategic advice to the Board and the Foundation on improving consumer and community experience. The CAC provides consumer information, direction and advocacy for the Foundation’s planning and service delivery. There are currently 8 members of the CAC, 6 consumer members and 2 Board director members.
“In 2023/2024 the CAC provided advice and input into the following:
• My Continence Care Model
• BINS4Blokes initiative
• National Public Toilet Map
• Continence Consumer Survey
• The Foundation’s Strategic Plan.
The CCN supports the Foundation’s vision through sharing their stories and building awareness about incontinence. CCN members review resources, contribute to working groups, and respond to surveys. The CCN is comprised of:
• people with lived experience of incontinence
• carers of people with lived experience of incontinence
• people with bladder and bowel control health issues and potential users of our services
As at 30 June 2024, the CCN had 45 members including 7 new members who joined during 2023/2024.
A priority for the CAC and CCN in 2024/2025 and beyond will be attracting more members, including those from under-represented and diverse communities.
I have experienced incontinence from the age of 16…[I] didn’t know how common it was for young people (especially young women) to experience this issue. I’m hoping to be able to help rectify this misconception for the next generation.”
Christin Young, new CAC member
For information on how to get involved, go to: CAC - https://www.continence.org.au/consumer-advisory-commitee-cac CCN - https://www.continence.org.au/partnering-people-experience-incontinence-and-their-carers
New
2023/2024 CAC member
Leanne Murphy (VIC)
New 2023/2024 CAC member Christin Young (NSW)
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My Continence Care
In response to the findings of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (2018-2021), the Foundation commissioned the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) to develop a best practice model for continence care in residential aged care settings. This formed the basis of what is now My Continence Care (DOHA project funding for Model of Continence Care).
My Continence Care (MCC) guides a non-clinical, person-centred approach to continence care that goes beyond toileting and continence aids.
My Continence Care builds on existing continence knowledge and empowers the workforce to see the person at the centre of every care interaction using evidence-based continence care that reduces risks associated with incontinence including infections, incontinence-associated dermatitis, falls, decline in functional ability and emotional/social impacts related to incontinence.
In preparation for the pilot of MCC, the Foundation:
• Co-designed training tools with professionals from the residential aged care sector.
• Developed a non-clinical eLearning module focused on practical strategies for providing person-centred continence care.
• Developed a range of live continence conversations for face-to-face delivery by MCC site champions.
Come and share your thoughts with the team!
Convo topic:
Date: Time:
Location:
My Continence Care Champions are:
• Produced a range of resources for consumers, aged care providers and the workforce.
• Established a steering committee to provide guidance and support to the project team.
• Engaged external consultants to undertake a formal evaluation of the pilot.
• Commissioned research for translation of MCC within the home care environment.
The pilot of the MCC model at two sites commenced in June 2024, with positive feedback received to date. Additional pilot sites will run through to September 2024 with a post-pilot evaluation to be undertaken to inform the next steps for MCC beyond June 2025.
“Staff are stating they have found the topics helpful and have changed how they approach residents. Great to hear them sharing stories’’ My Continence Care Champion, pilot site 1
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The National Continence Quality Standard
In 2023/2024 the Foundation piloted the National Continence Quality Standard (NCQS). The NCQS is a standard that has been developed to assist both individuals and organisations to provide measurable, safe and high-quality care in the delivery of continence health services. The standard addresses all aspects of care delivery, leadership and management that impact upon the quality of care provided. Whilst the NCQS is a standalone standard, it was developed to complement a range of other health and human service standards, recognising that incontinence and bladder and bowel control health is not confined to any particular cohort of people.
I have learned that our service is using best practice guidelines to give our clients positive outcomes from their treatment and management.”
Pilot participant
As continence health impacts on such a broad range of demographics, the standard has been piloted in a variety of health services settings including paediatric hospital, public health and post-surgical environments. In 2024/2025 further piloting of the standard in additional client-facing environments will be undertaken in preparation for the commercialisation of the standard.
I found the process valuable for evaluating what and how we are addressing the issues of our clients.”
Pilot participant
32nd National Conference on Incontinence 2024
The National Conference on Incontinence (NCOI) is Australia’s premier multidisciplinary meeting of health professionals working in bladder, bowel and pelvic floor health. The Conference brings together some of the sector’s most influential decision makers to showcase the latest in incontinence research and practice.
“Great to hear what is new, and what research is being done and how it can help clients.”
NCOI 2024 attendee
This year over 500 delegates attended NCOI which ran from 22 - 25 May at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. The four-day program included a range of presentations and workshops, an exhibition, a welcome reception, a conference gala dinner and endless networking opportunities.
The topics that attendees of NCOI found most useful were:
• Bowel health
• Male pelvic health
• Andrology/Urology
• Paediatrics
• The ageing bladder
Planning is already underway for NCOI 2025 which will be held in Hobart from 7 - 10 May 2025. For more information about NCOI 2025, go to: www.continence.org.au/NCOI
“So happy that men’s health, paediatrics, geriatrics and even ltgbqt+ (sic.) had airtime. Good balance between educational talks from various professionals and paper/abstract presentations.”
NCOI 2024 attendee
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Carer of the Year 2024
With over 2.65 million at-home carers across Australia, the Foundation’s Carer of the Year award is one small way of recognising the invaluable care and support that the carers in our community provide.
Australian and New Zealand Continence Journal continues to provide kindness, compassion and love to everyone around her. People often say that she is one of the friendliest and kindest people that they have ever met, and it is second nature for her to make sure everyone around her is okay.”
In 2024, a total of 44 applications for Carer of the Year were received. The Foundation was pleased to present Maria Erceg as the Carer of the Year at NCOI 2024. Maria has dedicated much of her life to being a carer for those around her including both of her parents and now her loving husband who is in the late stages of Parkinson’s disease.
As quoted by Maria’s daughter, who nominated her for the award, “Despite her challenges, Maria
The Australian and New Zealand Continence Journal (ANZCJ) has been the leading continence research journal in Australia and New Zealand since its inception in 1995. It is the only scientific journal dedicated to researching the diagnosis, treatment and management of continence.
In 2023/2024 the ANZCJ published 8 papers, including an article on the Outcomes of bladder neck Onabotulinumtoxin A injection in the treatment of men and women with primary bladder neck obstruction, as well as 17 abstracts.
In addition to the recognition, the Carer of the Year award is also accompanied by a cash price of $1,000 which in 2024 was sponsored by Night n Day and incontinenceproducts.com.au
The award is open to carers from across Australia and nominations are invited from the community. The Carer of the Year award will be held again in 2025. Information on how to nominate a carer will be available on the Foundation’s website.
Traditionally the ANZCJ has been a hard-copy publication, however in 2022 the Foundation undertook work to transition the ANZCJ from a hard copy member-only journal to a fully digital open-access journal.
As part of this process the Foundation is working towards the inclusion of the ANZCJ on mainstream scientific databases. Through expanding accessibility and readership, not only will the ANZCJ make continence research available to a much broader audience, but it will also attract a greater number of high-quality submissions leading to better informed approaches to continence care.
Maria Erceg
Maria Erceg and family
Be a Leading Peak Body
The Economic Cost of Incontinence in Australia
The highly anticipated update to the Deloitte Economic Cost of Incontinence in Australia report, was completed in 2023/2024.
The report found that there is an estimated 2.4 million men and 4.8 million women living with some form of urinary and/or faecal incontinence, which costs the Australian economy over $100 billion per annum.
The report also estimated that by 2032, the number of Australians living with some degree of incontinence will rise to 8.6 million, representing
National Consumer Survey
Each year, the Foundation conducts a National Consumer Survey. The survey provides insights into the community’s perceptions and experiences of incontinence, including the quality of life and wellbeing of people who experience incontinence and their carers. The survey provides the Foundation with a better-informed understanding of the
Key insights from the 2023/2024 survey:
34.1% of the population. This increase is largely driven by an ageing population and underscores the need for proactive measures to manage the growing impact of incontinence on individuals and the Australian community.
As a result, the Continence Foundation of Australia is calling on healthcare providers, policymakers, and the public to prioritise incontinence as a significant health issue. The Foundation is committed to raising awareness, reducing stigma, and advocating for better treatment options for all Australians.
experience of people who live with incontinence and the extent of public awareness of, and attitudes towards, continence health.
Approximately 2,000 people participated in this year’s survey, representing a broad cross-section of the Australian population by age, gender and geography.
of respondents are experiencing or have experienced incontinence
of respondents identified that incontinence impacts on their mental health
of those experiencing incontinence who discussed it with their GP found doing so to be very helpful
of respondents had experienced some form of discrimination due to having incontinence
of respondents were too embarrassed to discuss incontinence with a health professional
of respondents experiencing incontinence receive formal or informal management care
National Consumer Survey
Be a Leading Peak Body
Continued increase in people talking to doctors about incontinence
The upward trend in people discussing incontinence with their GP or a family doctor continued, with a significant increase reported in 2024.
Percentage of people who talked to their GP about incontinence
Bladder (79%)
Bowel (11%)
Bladder
(10%)
This trend is reflective of changing community attitudes towards incontinence and the associated stigma, largely due to increased awareness and understanding. This demonstrates the value of the campaigns undertaken and education provided by organisations such as the Foundation.
Continued reluctance to discuss incontinence with family and friends
Despite the increasing percentage of people who are discussing incontinence with their GP or family doctor, the percentage of people who are reluctant to discuss incontinence with their immediate family or close friends remained unchanged from 2023.
Percentage of people reluctant to discuss their incontinence with immediate family or close friends
Of those who were reluctant to discuss their incontinence with immediate family or friends, 41% reported feeling too embarrassed to do so and 20% felt it was too personal to discuss.
Ensure Better Access
The National Continence Helpline
The National Continence Helpline (the Helpline) is staffed by nurse continence specialists who offer free and confidential information, advice and support to people affected by incontinence. The Helpline is available to anyone living in Australia and is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health. In 2023/2024 the Helpline was contacted over 19,000 times, resulting in over 16,000 unique enquiries.
A focus for the Helpline in 2023/2024 was maximising the direct answering of calls and minimising the need for callers to leave voicemails. A change was made to the helpline which provides callers with the option to hold the line to wait for a Helpline responder to become available, rather than automatically being diverted to voicemail after 3 minutes. In 2024/2025 the Foundation will continue to improve the timeliness of responding to calls, further reduce the use of voicemails and ensure there is sufficient resourcing allocated during peak times.
This year, the most common reasons for contacting the Helpline were:
• financial assistance (state and federal government funding schemes)
• bladder related clinical issues
• bowel related clinical issues.
“Thank you for our lovely conversation this morning. I was initially quite embarrassed about discussing my condition with you, but you were warm, practical, to the point and immensely helpful.”
Helpline user
It was really uplifting and comforting talking to you earlier this afternoon, you really lifted my confidence and belief for the better health through my own efforts and beliefs.”
Helpline user
If you or someone you know would like to access support or advice, phone the National Continence Helpline on 1800 330 066. The Helpline can also be accessed via the Telephone Interpreter Service on 131 450 It operates 8am to 8pm AEST, Monday to Friday.
Janie, National Continence Helpline Manager.
Ensure Better Access
Health Promotion and Awareness
Community Resources
The Foundation produces evidence-based continence health resources for a broad audience including health professionals; those with lived experience of incontinence, carers and the general public. Currently, the Foundation has over 500 resources including a number that have been made available in languages other than English.
Public-facing resources are available in various formats, including audio files and videos, to ensure that information is accessible to as many people as possible. In 2023/2024, the Foundation’s resources were accessed over 800,000 times including:
• approximately 600,000 views of the Foundation’s videos
• close to 200,000 downloads of written resources
• over 150,000 hard copy resources ordered.
The most popular resources in 2023/2024 were:
• female pelvic floor muscles 3D animation (video)
• male pelvic floor muscles 3D animation (video)
• bowel diary with instructions (digital)
• pelvic floor muscle training for women (digital)
• pelvic floor muscle exercise for women (printed)
• pelvic floor health for expectant and new mums (printed).
The resources produced by the Foundation are a key tool for engagement with different audiences and are crucial to sharing continence health information and raising awareness more broadly. Accordingly, the Foundation regularly reviews its resources to ensure that they reflect current best practice.
In 2024/2025 the Foundation will continue to review existing resources and will release a number of new resources including a skin care fact sheet and a guide to continence products and aids.
Ensure Better Access
Health Promotion and Awareness
Health Literacy
Health literacy is the level to which individuals can access and understand the health information they need to make informed decisions about their health and care. Through ensuring we respond to a range of health literacy needs, those experiencing incontinence or who are at risk can make informed choices for better health outcomes.
The Foundation’s Health Promotion Team have undertaken the following initiatives this year to increase the accessibility of health information for all members of our community:
Plain language resources
The Foundation developed a plain language guideline and tip sheet to support staff in producing resources that are accessible to a broad audience. As part of the launch of the guideline, the Foundation held a ‘Drop the Jargon Day’ where staff were challenged to simplify words commonly used in the Foundation’s resources by applying plain language principles.
Wee Stories
In June 2024 the Foundation launched three animated videos, titled Wee Stories, that rely solely on imagery and contain no words. Through relying solely on visuals, these videos on bladder control symptoms are accessible regardless of the language spoken by the viewer or their level of literacy.
Links to Wee Stories Videos: https://youtu.be/aX931yEkvM4 https://youtu.be/m5tlb5YfR_A https://youtu.be/5Gf9D8W6AQA
In-language resources
The Foundation co-designed in-language resources on 12 continence health topics in partnership with 4 multicultural organisations: Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland, Muslim Women’s Association of South Australia, Khmer Community of New South Wales and Indian Care. In the next year, resources in another 13 languages will be developed in collaboration with multicultural organisations and community members.
I am grateful that you are wanting to design educational resources on the topic of incontinence for the Punjabi community.”
President of Indian Care
‘Drop the Jargon Day’ staff activity.
Ensure Better Access
Health Promotion and Awareness
Health Promotion Community Grants
In 2023/2024, the Foundation provided Health Promotion Community Grants to support partner organisations undertake initiatives to increase awareness about incontinence to encourage those with incontinence, or at risk of becoming incontinent, to seek help. The program focused on supporting partner initiatives providing tailored solutions to reach priority target groups and to address the social inequities that prevent access to quality care.
The following organisations received a Health Promotion Community Grant from the Foundation this year:
The Muslim Women’s Association of South Australia (MWASA)
The grant was used in the co-design and delivery of 4 community information sessions about incontinence for Arab and Afghani communities in South Australia. The sessions were provided in different formats including:
• an art therapy session
• an information session
• a healthy food making workshop
• a pelvic floor exercise class.
The initiative not only raised awareness about incontinence within a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community, it also brought together people with shared experiences who formed support networks that have lasted beyond the initiative itself.
I have never heard anyone talk about healthy bowel before.”
Bolton Clarke bowel health information session pilot participant
The MWASA Program has truly changed my life. For years, I suffered in silence, feeling ashamed and alone in my struggle with incontinence. But through this program, I’ve gained knowledge, skills, and most importantly, a sense of community.”
MWASA participant
Bolton Clarke
The grant was used to improve bowel health awareness through the development and delivery of community information sessions on bowel control health. The contents of the information sessions were informed by a survey of older people on what they would like to know more about in relation to bowel health. The information session was then co-designed with 3 community partnership groups and a pilot session was delivered to 5 community groups, with a total of 117 participants.
The bowel health information session has now been incorporated into Bolton Clarke’s existing ‘Be Healthy and Active’ health promotion program, with a number of sessions scheduled for 2024/2025.
In addition to raising awareness and community understanding of bowel health, the initiative more broadly highlights the importance of developing health promotion and information with input from, and consideration of, the relevant target audience.
“Kate provided a huge amount of valuable information and important advice and guidance to which everyone could relate.”
Barry,
Monash Men’s Shed
Kate McLeod, Senior Clinical Advisor, Bolton Clarke, presenting the first pilot session on Bowel Health at Monash Men’s Shed.
Ensure Better Access
Health Promotion and Awareness
BINS4Blokes Campaign
BINS4Blokes promotes awareness of male incontinence through raising the need for incontinence product disposal bins in public male toilets. Currently, such bins are not widely available. The Foundation commenced the initiative in 2019 following the successful advocacy of a South Australian continence nurse, and Foundation member, petitioning her local council for the installation of incontinence product disposal bins in male public toilets.
The provision of appropriate and accessible disposal bins not only supports proper and safe disposal, it also enables males experiencing incontinence to actively participate in the community reducing the likelihood of social isolation and related mental health impacts.
Achievements of BINS4Blokes in 2023/2024 included:
• Reaching over 60 supporter registrations including: - 26 councils
- 37 organisations across the health, retail, sporting and transport sectors.
• Attracting high profile supporters such as the Murdoch Children’s Research Centre, Perth Airport and Lendlease.
Men living with incontinence experience distress when leaving their home due to a lack of facilities to dispose of incontinence products, and with a little effort you can make a huge difference to the men in your community”.
Brendan Young, PCFA Volunteer Support Group Member
• Receiving over 5,000 pledges in response to a toilet door advertising campaign in shopping centres.
• Strengthening partnerships with key sanitary bin providers including Initial Rentokil, Fresh and Clean, Med-X Healthcare and Enviro-LCS.
• Renewing partnerships with key stakeholders: Australian Men’s Shed Association, Australian Physiotherapy Association, the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Movember, Healthy Male and the Urology Society of Australia & New Zealand (USANZ).
• Collaborating with community advocates such as Lendlease employee and recovering prostate cancer survivor Paul Guest, to uncover his story about living with prostate cancer and incontinence. Through sharing his story, Paul is advocating for incontinence product disposal bins in all Lendlease construction facilities.
In 2024/2025 the current program design of BINS4Blokes will be revised with a focus on increasing the visibility and profile of the initiative, through further partnerships and alliances.
For more information about the BINS4Blokes initiative or to get involved, go to https://bins4blokes.org.au
Brendan Young, PCFA Volunteer Support Group member from NSW who advocated for product disposal bins to be installed in two local shopping centres.
Ensure Better Access
Health Promotion and Awareness
Pelvic Floor First
The Pelvic Floor First program began over 10 years ago, prompted by members of the continence and fitness sectors who identified gaps in knowledge and awareness about pelvic floor safe exercise. The initiative aims to promote pelvic floor friendly exercises to at-risk groups, including pregnant women, women who have ever had a baby, and men who have undergone prostate surgery, through a website and a suite of resources.
“I think there are men who are not aware of the importance of prevention or have prostate issues and they don’t know they even have a pelvic floor.” Consumer, lived experience of prostate surgery
In 2023/2024 the Foundation commenced the first phase of its review of the Pelvic Floor First initiative to ensure that the resources are aligned with the latest research and evidence, as well as current community needs. To date the review has included:
• Consultation with 11 health professionals and 4 representatives from the fitness industry.
• Undertaking 10 in-depth interviews with community members at risk of pelvic floor dysfunction.
• The dissemination of a national online survey to 906 people.
• The establishment of a Pelvic Floor First Working Group comprised of 9 health professionals and 2 peak body representatives.
In 2024/2025 the Foundation will undertake the second phase of the review which will consider all of the research and information gathered to inform the future direction of the Pelvic Floor First program. The website and resource materials will be updated accordingly.
“It’s probably a sensitive thing, nobody wants to say they’re leaking urine. Some people don’t like talking about that stuff or it grosses them out.”
Consumer, lived experience of post-partum pelvic floor dysfunction
Education Support
A key focus of the Foundation is growing and supporting the capabilities of the continence health workforce to meet the demands of an increasing population dealing with a broad range of continence issues. The Foundation’s education program provides evidence-based development opportunities designed to meet the needs of an interdisciplinary workforce.
In 2023/2024 highlights of the Foundation’s education program included:
• The launch of 20 intermediate training modules for nurses.
• Delivery of a catheterisation skills workshop.
• Commencement of the redevelopment of a number of existing offerings including an advanced course for midwives and the Foundation’s Paediatric Continence course.
More than 4,000 people enrolled in the Foundation’s education program in 2023/2024 including over 1,000 people for the new intermediate training modules. The most popular modules were:
• undertaking a continence assessment
• the ageing bladder and bowel
• catheter care.
A priority for the Foundation over the next 12 months will be further expanding its education program including the re-design of the Ramsay Health, Hollywood Hospital Nurse Continence Specialist course and the development of a specialist training module for General Practitioners.
Ensure Better Access
Impact of Marketing and Communications
Digital Access
The Foundation continues to increase its reach through expanding upon its use of digital platforms including digital publications, websites and social media.
Foundation Websites
The Foundation offers a number of websites for the different initiatives and programs that it undertakes. Websites provide users with a discreet and quick way of obtaining information from the comfort of their own home.
In 2023/2024 the Foundation’s most popular websites were:
Bridge Magazine
The Foundation’s flagship publication, Bridge, is a free digital magazine that is sent directly to subscribers’ inbox. The magazine is produced quarterly and in 2023/2024 the themes of the issues were:
• World Continence Week
• women’s health
• children
• pregnancy.
This year there were:
DIGITAL BRIDGE MAGAZINE COPIES DISTRIBUTED 40,669
Go Against the Flow
2,273,963 39,897 5,881 307,498 3,895 13,036 4 85,714
Social Media Presence
836,762 22,669 49,113 Continence Foundation
Social media provides the Foundation with another avenue for reaching members of the public who are experiencing, or who may be at risk of experiencing, incontinence. The Foundation has a wide presence across major social media platforms and regularly posts about the various continence health initiatives being undertaken.
In 2023/2024 the Foundation achieved the following reach across its social media accounts:
6,523,025
IMPRESSIONS ON FACEBOOK
IMPRESSIONS ON INSTAGRAM
IMPRESSIONS ON X (FORMERLY TWITTER)
IMPRESSIONS ON LINKEDIN
Impact of Marketing and Communications Ensure Better Access
The Great Dunny Hunt
The Great Dunny Hunt is an annual campaign that runs from the Easter weekend until the start of World Continence Week (in 2023/2024 from 29 March to 16 June). The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the National Public Toilet Map (NPTM) and incontinence within the Australian community. The NPTM is a free website and app that identifies more than 22,000 public toilet facilities across Australia including opening hours, shower facilities, wheelchair accessibility and adult change facilities.
This year, participants were asked to complete a survey on:
i) How often they use the NPTM.
ii) Why they use the NPTM.
iii) What they would change about the NPTM.
Over 2,400 people entered the 2023/2024 Great Dunny Hunt with three participants chosen at random each winning a $500 voucher.
Highlights of this year’s campaign included:
• The addition of 207 new toilets and the updating of 1,436 toilets on the NPTM.
• 51 media interviews across various platforms.
• Over 10,200 page views of the Great Dunny Hunt’s website.
2023/2024 The Great Dunny Hunt Survey Results: of responders use the NPTM when travelling to find the nearest public toilet >40%
The more we talk about incontinence, the more we open the door for people to share their experience with health professionals, friends and family, and seek support for better management and treatments.”
Gian
Sberna, CEO Continence Foundation of Australia
World Continence Week
World Continence Week is an annual health awareness event focused on raising awareness about incontinence. This year, World Continence Week ran from 17-23 June 2024.
The theme for World Continence Week 2024 was ‘let’s talk’, encouraging Australians to have open and honest conversations about incontinence with friends, family and health professionals. As over 5 million Australians experience incontinence, fostering conversations about the condition is crucial for reducing public stigma and building confidence for those affected.
The 2024 World Continence Week spokesperson was Leanne Murphy, a member of the Foundation’s Consumer Advisory Committee, who shared her lived experience with birth trauma and incontinence.
Given the role of World Continence Week in raising awareness, promotion and advertising are key components. To promote World Continence Week 2024 the Foundation:
• Ran radio advertisements 174 times across ARN and Nine Radio.
• Advertised in 310 GP clinic waiting rooms.
• Reached over 327,000 social media accounts through Meta advertising.
• Made over 120,000 audio impressions.
While sharing incontinence experiences may be uncomfortable at first, overcoming this barrier allows for greater understanding and support from loved ones.”
Janie Thompson, National Continence Helpline Manager
$8,820k (2023 - $8,558k)
Expenditure Detailed in Financial Statements Total Revenue
$1,207k (2023 – ($1,001k)
Total Expenditure
$7,446k (2023 - $7,134k)
$1,375k (2023 – ($1,424k) Employee benefits expenses
$3,445k (46%)
EXPENDITURE DETAILED IN FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - TOTAL $7,135K Program
(36%) Other operating expenses - non program $1,091k (15%)
Depreciation and amortisation
$203k (3%)
Revenue and other income in Financial Statements
(1%)
The Statement of Profit and Loss and Other Comprehensive Income and Statement of Financial Position for the year ended 30 June 2024 have been audited by Walker Wayland Advantage and authorised by the Directors of the company. The complete Financial Statements for the Continence Foundation of Australia Ltd along with the Auditor’s and Director’s reports are available on our website at - https://www.continence.org.au/ and from the Continence Foundation of Australia Ltd. Suite 1,407 Canterbury Road, Surrey Hills VIC 3127.
