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This page explains your rights in stoma and continence care. It does not promote products and is for everyone, no matter what products or services you use.

This section has been co-produced by our ‘Lived Experience Ambassadors’ - people who use Coloplast products in their daily lives - and has also been reviewed by the Patients Association to ensure it is accurate, supportive, and reflects the needs of patients.

You have the right to express your needs and preferences in relation to your treatment. These rights are set out in the NHS Constitution – a document that explains what you can both expect and the commitments the NHS has for delivering continence care for patients.[i] Everyone working in or providing NHS services – from hospitals to GPs and local authorities - has a statutory duty to follow the NHS Constitution when making decisions about your care.

[i] UK Government. The NHS Constitution, update August 2023. Accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england/the-nhs-constitution-for-england#:~:text=Your%20rights,-You%20have%20the&text=You%20have%20the%20right%20to%20access%20NHS%20services.,needs%20and%20reflects%20your%20preferences. (Accessed October 2025)

Why this matters in intimate healthcare

Every patient/service user has the right to express their needs. Being able to access the right products and support can make a huge difference to your quality of life, your health needs and your overall wellbeing. It’s important that you, your family, or your carer feel confident to ask questions and raise concerns if something doesn’t feel right. The NHS constitution states that the patient is at the heart of everything the NHS does. You have the right to care that works for you - and to speak up if you feel your needs aren’t being met.

Tools and guidance for healthcare professionals

If you're a clinician supporting patients with intimate healthcare needs, these tools are designed to help you work in partnership with them to identify the right product. They support confident conversations, shared decision making, and continuity of care - so patients remain on the product that best meets their needs and quality of Life.
Tools & Guidance

Useful guides to help you make decisions about your care

We have produced this short guide to explain your rights as an NHS patient with intimate health needs. This is relevant whether or not you use a Coloplast Product.

View our guide

If you have recently been diagnosed with a condition that requires you to use intimate healthcare products or services, you may have questions or concerns about your treatment and how to manage your condition. You should never be afraid to book an appointment to ask your medical team for help.

What if you are told you cannot have a product that should be available on the NHS?

Remember, you do not need to suffer in silence. You have the right to access products if they meet your clinical need – this means a healthcare professional has checked you and decided you need the product for your health. You also have the right to complain about any part of NHS care, treatment, or service. These rights are written in the NHS Constitution:

“Please note, the following actions should only be taken if you believe that the decision not to prescribe a product has been made on funding grounds and / or you have not been given a reasonable explanation as to why it might not be right for you. Sometimes, a specialist nurse, GP or other prescriber may decide that a particular product is not clinically appropriate, based on their knowledge and expertise – they should be able to provide you with a clear explanation for this, offer an alternative product, and explain why they are recommending it instead.”

Who to contact

If you're unsure about any of the words used within the following materials, please check our Glossary of Terms

What to do if you are unable to access products you know you should be able to?

Dispensing Appliance Contractors (DACs) are specialist suppliers that work with the NHS to provide medical appliances, such as stoma bags, continence products, wound dressings and urology items. These products are provided as part of your NHS care when your healthcare professional decides they are clinically appropriate. The DAC then delivers them to you usually by post.

All DACs must adhere to a code of ethical business practice and should:

Ensure all patients have equal access and choice to the most clinically appropriate products and services
Encourage the continuation of specialist clinicians as the key adviser to patients
Challenge any restriction of patient or HCP choice in providing services

How to make a complaint

If you feel that your DAC is not meeting these rights or expectations, you can submit a complaint via their trade body – the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) - using the complaints@bhta.com email address.

Alternatively, you can call them to discuss things over the phone on 020 7702 2141.