Helping patients drink without having to call for help.

Full 1

• Improving patient experience
• Delivering efficiencies on the ward
• Clear cost reductions are possible
• Potential 70% reduction in plastic use

VIEW VIDEO

Preventable dehydration is a major issue in healthcare

The Water-Drop is a low-cost / high-impact innovative drinking system. It has been specifically designed for hospital patients, care home residents and vulnerable people in the community.

For simplicity - picture an intravenous drip system that is used orally. It is a simple, low-cost, single patient use, disposable product which fits in with the way the NHS and care homes work at an operational level.

The problem

If a vulnerable person cannot easily reach, lift or hold a drink they will need help to stay properly hydrated. That help is often not immediately or consistently available.

The solution

The Water-Drop is a low-cost / high-impact innovative drinking system. It has been specifically designed for hospital patients, care home residents and vulnerable people in the community.

What people think

Full 1 - copy

There is undoubtedly a need for products like The Water-Drop to make it easier for vulnerable people to access fluids without having to wait for help from a carer. The impact of this simple idea could be enormous in terms of prevented incidents of easily avoidable dehydration.

Naomi Campbell RGN, Independent Hydration Nurse Specialist, Chair National Hydration Network, Associate board member Malnutrition Task Force, Director Hydration Care Consultancy Ltd

Full 1

As a junior doctor I would set up as many as 20 intravenous drips each day to rehydrate patients. Around 60% of these would have been totally avoidable if the patients were able to easily access fluids without calling for help. The Water-Drop is a brilliantly simple innovation that will bring huge benefits to the NHS by reducing the need for rehydrating drips, reducing risk of infections (particularly UTI and AKI), reducing length of stay and releasing time to care. Now, as a GP, it is clear that the Water-Drop can also prevent many admissions to hospital from the community by preventing dehydration related problems. There are many avoidable admissions through falls, urinary infections, acute kidney injuries and other dehydration related issue – The Water-Drop will help prevent these at minimal cost.

Dr S Derry BSc BMBS MRCGP, GP Partner at Petroc Group Practice, and Acute GP within the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust

≡