A simple device invented by a bright former Bahrain student is set to help sick hospital patients keep hydrated, saving countless lives and potentially allowing health services to save millions of expenditure currently going down the drain.
The young British inventor, who grew up in the kingdom, believes he has found a simple solution that could potentially save the UK’s National Health Services (NHS) alone around £1 billion a year.
Ex-St Christopher’s School pupil Cameron Sandy, a 22-year-old from South London, is a BSc Product Design student at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). He designed a coaster that encourages users to stay hydrated through visual prompts – lights that move faster the more time a glass is left on it, offering a gentle reminder to patients and elderly to drink water.
And when the time came for him to design something for his course, he got the inspiration from his mother, a former school nurse at St Chris, who at the time was working with the NHS.
“She used to come home from working in a hospital, and she would be quite sad sometimes,” said Mr Sandy. “There were elderly patients who were very stubborn, recovering from an illness or broken hip, but would end up slowly deteriorating.
“It was not because of the care, but rather because of a very simple thing, they would not look after themselves, especially not hydrate properly.
“Most of them were very proud and do not like being told what to do.
“So I ended up thinking – what if there was something we could do to encourage them to properly drink water while they still maintained their independence?”
Dehydration is assumed to affect around one-in-seven patients and cost the UK’s healthcare system almost £1bn annually, it admits.
The solution Mr Sandy came up with is his ‘Hydration Coaster’, which uses soft visual alerts to prompt patients to sip up and stay healthy.
If the patient hasn’t touched their drink within 60 minutes, then a soft visual light will turn on the coaster which will gradually spin around the cup.
If the patient hasn’t seen it, then the speed at which the light goes around it will increase until the patient spots it.
Once the cup has been picked up, then the light will turn off and once it has been placed back onto the coaster, then the 60-minute timer will start again.
“It’s got a smooth finish, which means it could be easily cleaned with standard NHS wipes and antibacterial spray,” said Mr Sandy, “and there’s no holes or small crevices where bacteria could accrue.
“It uses an anti-slip mat to prevent it from slipping on the overbed tray. There is also a charging dock that can be easily used.
“When patients are hydrated more, they’re happier, healthier and, generally, more likely to recover quicker.”
As a result of his imaginative endeavours, Mr Cameron has been selected to participate in the New Designers, a one-week product design show being held from July 1 to 4 in London.
The prestigious event features more than 2,500 graduates every year and gives them a chance to present their ideas to industry professionals and potentially find a manufacturer.
“This is an opportunity for me to show off the coaster on a larger scale,” said Mr Cameron. “I’m already in the process of talking to manufacturers and I am quite excited for what’s to come.
“I hope I can get this out there soon, not only around the UK, but also potentially Bahrain one day.
“I lived in Bahrain for around 12 years. I love Bahrain, and when people ask me about my identity, it is hard to not talk about the kingdom.
“Even though I am not Bahraini myself, I have a special connection to the place and its people.
“My mother, Miriam, was a school nurse and my father, Matthew, worked as an investment banker in Bahrain.”
Eventually, Mr Sandy relocated with his family to South London. When the time came for him to enrol at university, he wanted one that would help him develop his skills when it came to hands-on work, as NTU is regarded as one of the best.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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