When in hospital, the amount of urine a patient makes is measured because it tells doctors how well a patient’s organs are working and if they are getting better or worse. Changes in the amount of urine can suggest complications that can be very serious, even resulting in death.

Patients often have a catheter (a tube that goes into the bladder) that is connected to a urometer (a measuring device) that helps nurses measure the amount of urine produced over time. Millions of urometers, made of disposable plastic, are disposed of each year, causing environmental damage. Our reusable device will be environmentally friendly, save nursing time and reduce mistakes. Importantly, it will spot patients who are getting worse, so that staff can be alerted and take action earlier.

With the support of SBRI and NIHR we are developing an environmentally friendly urine monitoring device for hospital use. It will replace the existing disposable, plastic measuring devices that contribute to NHS environmental pollution.

In this talk, we will discuss our journey so far and the challenges we have encountered in introducing innovations to develop a greener NHS.