New invention keeps patients hydrated

PATIENTS in Warrington are among the first in the North West to be offered the chance to try an award-winning invention to help them stay hydrated.

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been working with a private company  to offer patients “Hydrant” bottles designed for people who may struggle to take regular drinks.

The Hydrant provides a simple way for patients to drink, while allowing healthcare workers and carers to monitor a patient’s fluid intake. The bottle can hook, hang or clip onto a bed, chair or wheelchair and can be used with a drinking tube or as a sports bottle.

Since the start of June patients registered with the Trust’s wheelchair services in Warrington and Wigan, Halton and St Helens have been offered the chance to try the Hydrant.

Dr Neil Fisher, Bridgewater’s medical director, said: “Staying hydrated has huge physical benefits, and is particularly important in the warmer months.

“At Bridgewater we want to help people avoid dehydration which can lead to headaches, falls, dizziness and urinary infections as well as a worsening of their general health.

“We believe that this simple innovation will benefit many of our patients and their carers. As part of this project we will ask for feedback from patients to see how they are getting on with the Hydrant and to measure if the use of the bottle has had a positive impact on their health and
wellbeing.”

The Hydrant won The Queen’s Award for Business Innovation in 2013 and has been designed to be a low cost innovation which delivers a significant health benefit to patients.

Anyone who is interested in participating in the trial should contact Bridgewater’s Innovation and Improvement Team on 01744 626696.