The project aimed to encourage residents to drink more fluids and bring about a reduction in UTIs requiring medication or hospital admission by introducing seven drinks rounds every day
On 1 July 2016 a 7-structured drinks round was introduced into four care homes (150 residents) in the Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead area in partnership with the Oxford Academic Health Science Network. The aim of this project is to reduce the number of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in care home residents which require antibiotics or admission to hospital.
The project was undertaken in three residential homes and a nursing home with a total of 150 beds. They had the highest UTI admissions to hospital in the region over the previous three years. Areas of improvement were identified in February 2016.
Hydration training was delivered to care home staff who designed and delivered structured drinks rounds. The trolleys were bright, inviting and offered multiple options of drinks, cups and glasses.
Themed trolleys were encouraged and staff were creative in their design. The PDSA cycle shows the full list of interventions.
Data was collected on:
The project achieved a 33% reduction in UTI hospital admissions and six months after the project there have been no UTI hospital admissions at all. The number of calls to GPs and UTIs needing treatment with antibiotics also fell within all four care homes.
The initiative has now been extended to nine more care homes in Berkshire and Oxfordshire.
The following feedback was received from a focus group involving all four care homes:
This study won three national PrescQIPP awards – Best Interface, Best Patient Safety and the overall Best Innovation Gold award (voted for by attendees), October 2017.
