Management of a medical appliance

If you have a medical appliance, you’ll need to set up and manage a prescription for the supplies you need.

Before you leave hospital, you will be given some colostomy appliances that will last a couple of days whilst you set up your own prescription.

The hospital will give you prescription information but you can get further prescriptions from your GP.¹

When you set up a prescription it’s usually helpful to nominate a pharmacy. This means that any of your prescriptions are automatically sent to a pharmacy of your choice.

You can choose any pharmacy you want, but most people pick a pharmacy that is close to their home or work. You can nominate your local Well pharmacy here.

The rate you go through supplies will vary depending on different things, such as your lifestyle or diet.

There may also be certain times when you need more supplies than usual, for example if you’re going on holiday.

It’s important to not let your supplies run down too low or run out completely. If this happens, contact the person who is in charge of your prescriptions.

To help you remember to re-order your prescription, try setting a reminder on your phone, or make a note in your calendar or diary. Some people find it helps to have a set day each month to reorder the supplies they need.

Once you order your prescription, it usually takes a few days before your supplies are ready to collect or be delivered.

This could take longer at busier times, such as bank holidays. Try to plan for times when you might need more supplies than usual or at particularly busy times when delays could happen.²

Having a new appliance fitted may feel overwhelming, especially if you’re still trying to carry on with the normal day-to-day activities in your life.

There are some products you can get that make it easier to live with an appliance.

For example, you may want to get the following:

Some people find that having these items are particularly helpful if you’re travelling or you’re away from home.

Charities such as Colostomy UK and the NHS website have information about how to feel more confident with an appliance and tips on small, helpful changes you can make.

There are places and people you can go to for support and information, to help you live well with your appliance.

The NHS app is free to download and can help you manage your prescription, including setting up a repeat prescription and nominating a pharmacy.

Find out more about the NHS app on the NHS website.

You may also want to think about getting a RADAR key, sometimes called an NKS key, if you often need access to public toilets.

Having a RADAR key gives you access to thousands of locked, disabled toilets across the UK. This can be helpful if you need to urgently access a toilet. Find out more about how to get a RADAR key on the Disability Rights UK website .

If you’re worried about finding a public toilet the Great British Public Toilet Map website has an interactive map to help you find public toilets, anywhere in the UK.