Bladder infections are simultaneously one of the most common and excruciating issues I see in my clinic.

Also known as urinary tract infections, or UTIs, these bugs primarily affect women and often trigger an agonising pain while peeing.

For around 1.6 million women, UTIs are chronic – meaning they return repeatedly. These can ruin a person’s life, leaving them in constant pain and unable to sleep or work.

Earlier this year, presenter Cherry Healey, pictured, opened up about her history of UTIs and how ignoring one saw her collapsing at a friend’s wedding – where she was maid of honour – and being hospitalised for five days.

Heartbreakingly, there is often very little that GPs can do to help. We can prescribe antibiotics to clear the infection, but it will then return months or even weeks later.

However, I believe there is something that our new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, can do to reduce the number of patients living with chronic UTIs – and improve the lives of countless others.

Let me explain. UTIs occur when bacteria gets into the urinary tract – the body’s plumbing system for removing urine – via the urethra – where urine comes out when you pee. There are steps that can be taken to reduce the risk – such as avoiding sugary, fizzy drinks – but one of the most important is going to the toilet when you need to.

Holding in urine is not good for your health, though we all do it sometimes for various reasons

Holding in urine is not good for your health. We all do it sometimes, whether it’s because we are busy at work or driving, but many people do not realise it can actually cause a problem. When it comes to UTIs, keeping the bladder full for longer than necessary allows bacteria to flourish. It also stretches the bladder, meaning when patients do eventually go, they may not be emptying their bladder completely. Over time, regularly having small amounts of urine left over leads to regular infections.

This is why I always tell my UTI patients to never hold in their urine. However, as many tell me, this is easier said than done.

While at home, there is no problem. But once they leave the house, finding somewhere to go to the toilet can feel like an impossible task. And there’s a simple reason for this: the disappearance of the public toilet in Britain.

It’s an issue that this newspaper first highlighted during the Covid pandemic, when councils across the country closed public toilets in what turned out to be futile attempts to limit the spread of the virus.

However, the problem has only got worse in recent years.

There are now almost 15 per cent fewer public toilets in England than there were ten years ago, according to the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), largely due to a lack of funds to keep them open.

And I believe this is leading to more chronic UTIs as more patients are being forced to hold in their urine.

It’s not just UTI patients who are being affected by the closure of public toilets either. There are so many other patients whose health conditions leave them at risk of being caught short while out of the house.

For example, roughly half of men over the age of 60 have prostate issues that mean they need to go to the loo often – usually the moment the sensation strikes. Combine them with people with incontinence, irritable bowel syndrome and other urinary issues, we are talking about millions of Britons who are in desperate need of public toilets.

And for those affected, this issue stops them from leaving the house.

According to a 2019 report from the RSPH, one in five people leave home less often than they would like due to a lack of toilets and the shame and the inconvenience that causes them.

There are, of course, steps patients can take to reduce the risk of being caught short while out. I often advise my patients to avoid consuming coffee, tea, alcohol, energy drinks and fizzy drinks, as these can all increase the need to pee – as well as irritate the lining of the bladder.

Patients with a bladder or bowel problem can also apply for a special access card, called Just Can’t Wait, from the Bladder And Bowel UK charity. The idea is that they can flash this card in shops, cafes, restaurants or anywhere else on the high street, and the staff should let them use the toilet – even if it is not ordinarily for public use.

However, this only helps those with a diagnosed problem – and businesses are not legally required to let patients use their facilities.

Instead, I believe the solution for this problem must come from the top of Government. Mr Burnham has pledged to revive Britain’s struggling high streets, and one of the best ways he could do this would be fund more public toilets.

This would make millions feel more comfortable visiting local businesses without fear of being caught short.

And it could improve the quality of life for UTI patients by reducing the number of repeat infections.

So, on behalf of my patients, Prime Minister, please fix the public toilets crisis – you will be improving the lives of many more people than you realise.

Breast screening needs a wider net

A study published last week argues that we could be incorrectly screening for breast cancer.

At present, women under 50 are scanned only if they carry certain genes that raise their risk of cancer.

However, the new research, published in the British Journal of Cancer, argues that this method misses 95 per cent of young women who go on to develop breast cancer. The researchers conclude that other factors, such as lifestyle and reproductive history (mothers are less likely to get the disease), should also be considered. I agree.

A study published last week argues that we could be incorrectly screening for breast cancer

For too long the NHS has been obsessed with finding patients with cancer-triggering genes, when they are in the minority.

Did your breast cancer diagnosis come as a surprise? Please write in and let me know.

Your questions answered

I keep getting crusty styes on my eyelids. It’s really painful and nothing seems to help. What can I do to stop them coming back?

Dr Ellie replies: Crusty eyes are not a typical stye symptom and could be a condition called blepharitis instead.

Styes are a common infection that occurs when the tear ducts in the eyelid become blocked. For most, they happen for no discernible reason – though they can be triggered by make up or skin products blocking ducts.

A warm compress on the eyelids is the recommended treatment for a stye. This should ease the pain and swelling, and the infection will eventually pass. Antibiotics are rarely offered for styes any more.

However, if there are crusty bits as well, this may be triggered by blepharitis – inflammation of the eyelids.

Blepharitis patients often describe their eyes feeling itchy or gritty. The condition is typically caused by bacteria on the skin or an underlying skin condition such as dermatitis. There is no cure, but the symptoms can be eased by washing the eyelids every day.

The best way to do this to first apply a warm flannel for ten minutes. Then, massage the eyes for 30 seconds. Finally, using clean cotton buds dipped in diluted baby shampoo, clear away the crust and discharge around the eye.

Do you have a question? Email DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk