Urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is any unintentional leaking of urine, from occasional leaks when you cough to a frequent, urgent need to go. Read more about urinary incontinence →
If symptoms are sudden, severe or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111.
Where are you up to?
The NHS reports waiting times by specialty, not by individual condition, so this is the urology wait, updated August 2026. Enter a postcode to see the hospitals near you.
urology waiting times by hospital
| Trust | Location | Typical wait |
|---|---|---|
| Isle of Wight NHS Trust | Isle of Wight | 3 weeks |
| Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | Cheshire West and Chester | 4 weeks |
| Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust | Reading | 4 weeks |
| Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust | Wiltshire | 5 weeks |
| Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust | North Yorkshire | 5 weeks |
| Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Blackpool | 5 weeks |
| West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | Watford | 5 weeks |
| Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Runnymede | 6 weeks |
About urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the unintentional leaking of urine. It is very common and has two main types. Stress incontinence is leaking when pressure is put on the bladder, for example when you cough, laugh or exercise. Urge incontinence is a sudden, intense need to pee followed by leaking before you can reach a toilet. Many people have a mix of the two. It is often linked to the pelvic floor muscles, to the bladder being overactive, and to things like pregnancy and childbirth, getting older, or being overweight.
How it is treated
Treatment usually starts with simple measures that help a lot of people: pelvic floor muscle exercises for stress incontinence, and bladder training to lengthen the time between needing to go for urge incontinence, along with cutting down on caffeine and reaching a healthy weight. If these are not enough, medicines can help an overactive bladder, and there are devices and, as a later step, operations such as a sling for stress incontinence. A continence specialist or nurse often guides the plan.
After treatment
Many people improve a great deal with pelvic floor exercises and bladder training, but these work best when kept up over the long term, so they often become part of a daily routine. Simple changes, such as managing how much and what you drink and reaching a healthy weight, also help. If leaking carries on despite these, it is worth going back to your GP or continence service, as medicine or a procedure may be the next step. Incontinence is common and treatable, and help is available at any age.
Sources: NHS: Urinary incontinence. Last updated October 2026.
General information only, not medical advice. Wait or Pay is independent and is not the NHS. Your GP decides what care, if any, you need.