This paper describes a study of a new nursing post, that of the adviser on incontinence. Some of the difficulties encountered in the study were the composition of a study and control group and evaluation of change in urinary incontinence. Retrospective checks on the two groups showed that the items in which they differed did not have any relationship with changes in incontinence or its management. The findings were unable to support the Regional Health Authority's hope that hospital admissions would be reduced or the more general belief that overall resource use would decline. In addition to improvements in incontinence half the subjects identified other benefits such as increased understanding of the problem and the opportunity to discuss it with someone with a knowledge of incontinence. Issues were also raised of the organization and nature of the advisers work load.
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