Bed Pans & Portable Urinals

Bed pans are receptacles for human waste used when someone is restricted to bed and can’t make visits to the toilet.

They provide a means for a person to open their bowels without leaving bed.

People unable to make the journey to and from the toilet include those suffering from illness or injury, living with a disability or recovering from an operation.

Bed pans require manually emptying and cleaning by a carer after use.

Standard bowl shaped - these typically do not have lids, but feature a cut-out area at one end to improve access.

Wedge shaped bed pans - the triangular shape of these ‘fracture pans’ is made to slide easily beneath the body of the person in bed.

Some wedge shaped pans have lids, while others have an open design.

Most versions have either a carry handle or cut out sections of the moulding which allows the pan to be easily transported for emptying and cleaning.

Bed pans must be cleaned regularly with disinfectant - most are suitable to be autoclaved or chemically cleaned.

Portable urinals are receptacles for urine which are useful for people who need to relieve themselves but are not able to reach a toilet.

They are essentially special bottles which are easy to access.

Those with urinary incontinence may find them useful, or people who are restricted to bed for prolonged periods and have difficulty reaching the bathroom.

There are urinals designed for both men and women.

Female urinals - these versions, designed for a woman’s use, have wide, contoured openings.

This makes these urinal bottles for women easier to use without spillages.

They have a narrow neck, leading to a wider compartment in which the liquid is retained.

The contoured nature of the aperture means this style does not usually have a lid, so needs to be emptied fairly rapidly after use.

There are other urinal bottles for women which have a flatter opening and come with lids as a result.

Male urinal bottles - although not as wide or contoured as the female versions, urinal bottles for men do have a reasonably large opening.

They usually have a flat rim and most also come with a lid, so can be sealed shut after use.

Bottles with lids are naturally the best if you think you might need the loo and be away from a toilet.

Some designs have carry handles.