Launch of hydration campaign - 'Hydration for the Nation'

The Scottish Urinary Tract Infection Network’s (SUTIN) national hydration campaign was launched on 3 April 2018 and posters will appear in local community pharmacies across Scotland over the next two months.

The aim of the hydration campaign is to raise awareness of the wide and varied benefits of being well hydrated. The campaign’s target audiences are the general public across Scotland, particularly vulnerable groups such as the elderly, as well as staff across the health and social care and home care sector.

The campaign aims to ensure everyone is aware of the signs of poor hydration and the potential consequences. The problems associated with dehydration are still poorly recognised by not only the public but also those working in community and health care settings. 

Dehydration can be both the cause and the consequence of illness and can have significant impacts on an individual’s health.

The key campaign messages are:

• good hydration is important for all age groups and is something for everyone to consider
• the effects of dehydration may result in unnecessary treatment e.g. of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and unnecessary admission to healthcare e.g. following falls resulting in fractures
• secondary E. coli bloodstream infections caused by UTI are potentially life threatening, particularly in older people

Information resources have been developed to support the hydration campaign and will be distributed to the public and within health and social care.