Incontinence is the loss or partial loss of bladder of bowel control. Incontinence is not a disease; it is a symptom that can have many different causes. An estimated one in 20 people of all ages suffer from incontinence. It is not a normal part of growing old. Identifying the underlying cause can help determine the most effective way to improve or cure the symptoms.

If you or the person you care for has problems with incontinence and it interferes with everyday activities – working, schooling, sport, sexual activity, walking, gardening, dancing or sleeping – come to the Continence clinic which can advise you on the best options available to you.

The following resources may also be useful:

Conditions seen

Barwon Health continence service offers the following for both adults and children:

  • An individual consultation which includes assessment, treatment and development of a care plan; and if required a referral for further investigations
  • Bladder training
  • Pelvic floor rehabilitation
  • Urodynamic studies
  • Advice with continence aids
  • Advice and treatment for children who wet the bed
  • Home visits, which may be carried out following assessment

Barwon Health Continence Service accepts referrals for the following:

  • Pre and postoperative management and education
  • Adults and children with disabilities
  • Education programs tailored to meet the needs of health workers, carers and community groups in Geelong and surrounding areas.

For adults

Do you need to complete a bladder/bowel diary? Watch a how-to video with Continence Service Coordinator, Cheryl Parkin.

For kids
Are you the parent, guardian or carer for a child who needs to complete a bladder/bowel diary? Watch a how-to video with Continence Nurse Consultant, Lisa Danaher.

Conditions not seen

Barwon Health Continence clinic does not accept referrals for the following:

  • Children under the age of 3
  • Assessment for the purpose of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) applications.

How do I access this service

To be seen in this clinic you need to be referred by your GP, another specialist doctor or your Barwon Health doctor.

We are unable to see you in our clinics without a referral.

Wait time

All requests for specialist clinic appointments are scheduled according to the patient’s clinical need. Clinicians assess whether an appointment is urgent or routine, based on information provided in the referral.

Barwon Health aims to see all ‘urgent’ referrals within 30 days. Our wait times for patients who are categorised as ‘routine’ are more variable, depending on the demand for our services.

The projected wait time listed below are only estimated timeframes for routine (non-urgent) patients.

Speciality
Projected wait time

No Wait times to show

For Health Professionals

State-referral criteria may apply for conditions under this specialty requiring further assessment and management. Referring clinicians are encouraged to utilise Western Victoria Community HealthPathways for referral guidelines and requirements for all conditions.

For urgent referral advice, please contact the specialty on-call registrar via Barwon Health switchboard on 03 4215 0000.

Complete the specialist clinics referral template and send via:

  • ReferralNet
  • Fax: 03 4215 0453

Referral templates for Barwon Health services are available for importing into Best Practice, Medical Director or ZedMed. Please see the Referral templates page for the most up-to-date forms.

If you do not use the above clinical software, please complete a referral letter on your practice/health service letterhead, ensuring all required referral information is included.

If you need to contact us regarding the templates, please contact the GP Liaison Unit on 03 4215 8845 or [email protected].

For patients who require reassessment, a new referral should be sent through. To facilitate earlier access, the new referral must contain the following information:

  • State the referral is an update for a current patient
  • Date of original referral
  • Reason for requesting a review of referral (e.g. deterioration in clinical condition, pathology)

The referrer will be notified of the outcome of the re-triage process.

GPs or referring doctors wishing to discuss the triage of their patient’s referral, or who require additional information, please ring the GP hotline on 03 4215 1398.

Page last updated: September 9, 2025