When is referral needed?

The NHS website suggests that all patients with any degree of incontinence should see their doctor. Differentiating between immediate referral and a routine appointment is helpful.

Patients who need immediate referral are those with signs of a urinary tract infection: fever, dysuria (painful urination), bladder or urethral pain, haematuria (blood in urine). All patients with haematuria, even in the absence of other symptoms, need urgent referral. Where continuous incontinence is suspected, a referral is needed and the same goes for faecal incontinence associated with urinary incontinence or the loss of bladder control.

Men with prostate related urinary symptoms or signs of urinary retention need referral.