The discriptors re Incontenance problems

First of all i would like to thank everyone for their kind advice on my recent post Crohns decease & enegability re support group.
I have read on behalf of my son the desciptors regarding incontinance and im rather confussed. My son is actually going through the process of obtaining pads through the district nurse now and we have recently bought him some.My question is does the wearing of these pads somehow count against you as in some cases he does not neccessarily need to change his clothing now but still needs help to change and clean up.There are also still occasions that even the pads do not neccessarily do there job sufficently enough.I am very confussed as to what disciptor he would fall under as he has weekly involuntry bowel accidents but does the wearing of pads discount him from gaining the disciptor that would give him best chance of getting into the support group.Very confussed indeed. Incedentaly did not know these excisted till someone kindly advised on last post.

From what you have said in your post in order for your son should to meet the support group descriptor the ESA handbook states:-

"This functional area relates to the ability to maintain continence of bladder or bowel, or prevent leakage from a collecting device.

When considering these descriptors, the review group considered social acceptability and personal dignity to be of paramount importance. Therefore someone who has loss of continence monthly will be considered to have limited capability for work. It should be noted that to be considered as having limited capability for work-related activity (support group), the loss of control should be weekly. It is therefore essential to ensure the history contains adequate detail to make this distinction. These descriptors take into consideration loss of continence while the claimant is awake.

Incontinence which occurs only while asleep is not regarded as incontinence in terms of the legislation as, with the appropriate personal hygiene, this will not affect the person's functioning whilst awake.

The descriptors relate to a substantial leakage of urine or faeces – such that there would be a requirement for the person to have to wash and change their clothing. The descriptors do dot refer to minor degrees of leakage that could be managed by the use of pads and not necessitate a full change of clothing. If a person is not using pads, they should be considered as if using pads as these are a widely available aid."

Are you able to determine from this wider description, whether your son would be able to meet the support group criteria?

skyblue wrote:

First of all i would like to thank everyone for their kind advice on my recent post Crohns decease & enegability re support group.
I have read on behalf of my son the desciptors regarding incontinance and im rather confussed. My son is actually going through the process of obtaining pads through the district nurse now and we have recently bought him some.My question is does the wearing of these pads somehow count against you as in some cases he does not neccessarily need to change his clothing now but still needs help to change and clean up.There are also still occasions that even the pads do not neccessarily do there job sufficently enough.I am very confussed as to what disciptor he would fall under as he has weekly involuntry bowel accidents but does the wearing of pads discount him from gaining the disciptor that would give him best chance of getting into the support group.Very confussed indeed. Incedentaly did not know these excisted till someone kindly advised on last post.

The pads are needed because of his problem they don't remove it...without the pads the clothes wont get wet or dirty ... its the loss of control of bladder or bowel that gets the point, as what your saying with this type of illness is loss of control of an organ ... where as some people have problems that can be controlled with drug .. here thats not happening

the only aid is a plug and thats not fool proof and as the new guides says


(a) At least once a month experiences (i) loss of control leading to extensive evacuation of the bowel and/or voiding of the bladder

no mention of plugs pads or pipe/catherter

IMO of course