Essence of Care: implementing continence benchmarks in primary care

'Essence of Care' is a national programme which was launched in 2001. The document provides a set of national benchmarks which are evidence based. The benchmarks focus on basic care as identified in a First Class Service (DH, 1998). The programme has been implemented widely by acute services, however with community and primary care services, the take up appeared to have been spasmodic. A conference in 2003 'Implementing Essence of Care in Primary Care' described the implementation of Essence of Care in Primary Care as a 'challenge'. This article identifies the implementation of the continence benchmark within a PCT. The article details the process and the difficulties encountered within primary care, but also details the benefits of utilising the model despite a labour intensive process. In particular the article suggests the importance of incorporating the benchmarks into current systems within the PCT in order to avoid duplication and extra layers of groups and meetings. Finally the article highlights some of the benefits which the PCT consider the process has achieved to the continence service.