The incredible little item for UK hospitals that could save NHS £1bn a year
A drinks coaster that monitors a hospital patient's cup to remind them to stay hydrated could help save the NHS up to £1 billion a year - especially boosting dementia sufferers' care. Nottingham Trent University (NTU) design student Cameron Sandy, 22, was inspired to create his working prototype by his mother who works as a nurse and knew the challenge of ensuring vulnerable patients drink enough fluids.
Cameron also witnessed his grandfather develop dementia and struggle to keep himself hydrated properly, leading to health complications. Now Cameron, of Sutton, south London, hopes his prototype 'smart coaster' could tackle this hidden epidemic of dehydration - a known factor in hospital complications, from infections to delayed recovery.
He told the Express: "My mum would come home exhausted, but she always wanted to do the best for her patients.
"A lot of the time she was going around feeding people or giving them water, especially elderly patients who don't always have family visiting.
"When people are in hospital, they're out of their usual rhythm, they're unwell, and something as simple as drinking water becomes harder.
"It was difficult to see my grandfather change as he developed dementia. Like others, he just didn't drink and that was an issue I wanted to solve."
Dehydration can prolong hospital stays, reduce patient wellbeing and place additional strain on hospital staff. According to some reports, dehydration costs the NHS between £500 million and £1 billion a year.
Cameron's smart hydration coaster is designed to sit under a patient's cup and gently prompt them to drink.
A load cell sensor monitors the weight of the cup and if there's no change in its weight within 60 minutes - indicating no drinking - an LED ring on the coaster lights up.
The aim is for it to prompt the patient to take a sip, but to avoid becoming an annoyance in any way to ensure the patient continues to use it.
He met with doctors, nurses and a former hospital chief executive officer who explained how the issue can be treated as a lower priority by hospital staff, despite its scale.
The BSc Product Design student added: "One person described it as a 'hidden epidemic'. Dehydration is usually recorded as a secondary condition, but it sits underneath so many other health issues."
The coaster is waterproof and designed without external ports or wires to minimise infection risks, and charges wirelessly via a docking station integrated into existing hospital infrastructure.
Coasters can be stacked directly onto water trolleys during transit, with charging docks located at nurses' stations or in storage areas where the trolleys are kept between rounds.
The system operates during waking hours, typically between 7am and 10pm, to ensure patients are not disturbed overnight. A single charge can last up to two weeks, depending on use.
Additional visual indicators help staff manage the device: a red light signals faults, while a flashing LED indicates a low battery or if the cup has been removed and not replaced.
Designed using recycled polypropylene, sourced from materials such as bottle caps and food containers, the coaster is environmentally conscious and inexpensive.
The hydration coaster is designed to be affordable and scalable for hospital use, with an NHS unit cost of £34.99 and a retail price of £39.99.
Cameron remarked: "An overnight hospital bed is estimated to cost the NHS between £350 and £750 per patient.
"If improved hydration helps reduce a patient's stay by even a single day, the savings could cover the cost of up to 21 hydration coasters, demonstrating the potential for both improved patient care and significant financial benefits for the NHS.
"With around 140,000 NHS beds in England alone, even marginal improvements can have a huge impact. If patients are hydrated, they're more likely to recover quicker and go home sooner - that's where the real savings come in.
"But it's not just about money. When people are hydrated, they're happier, more alert, and more sociable. It improves their whole experience of care."
Cameron's prototype will go on public display from 30 May to 5 June for the 2026 art and design Student Showcase, which features the work of more than 1,300 graduating creative students.
Joseph Stewart, Senior Lecturer in Product Design at NTU, said: "Cameron has used the personal experiences of his mother and grandfather as inspiration to create a unique product that could improve the experience of hospital patients.
"He has identified a simple way to support people who are unnecessarily suffering the ill-effects of dehydration, which could also potentially save the NHS significant sums.
"If adopted widely, the smart hydration coaster could help address one of the NHS's most persistent yet under-recognised challenges - ensuring that patients, quite simply, remember to stay hydrated."