Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust worked with Tecknuovo to develop SipSmart, a simple digital tool that helps families record fluid intake during Emergency Department stays and gives clinical teams clearer information to support patient care.
The project was supported by Alder Hey Children’s Kidney Fund, with Tecknuovo providing the design and development work on a pro bono basis.
The Challenge
Trial of Fluids is commonly used when children are unwell with symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea or reduced fluid intake. Families are usually asked to record what their child drinks, whether they have been sick, and whether they have passed urine or opened their bowels, helping clinical teams understand whether the child is keeping enough fluid down.
In a busy emergency department, this information can be challenging for families to keep up to date using paper charts, particularly when they are focused on caring for an unwell child.
The Solution
SipSmart was developed to explore whether a simple digital approach could make this process easier and support clearer information sharing between families and staff.
The tool works through a QR code and allows parents and carers to record fluid intake, vomiting, nappies, toilet trips and comments on their own device during their child’s stay. The digital record can then be reviewed with clinical teams at the bedside, supporting conversations about the child’s hydration and ongoing care.
More than 450,000 children and young people are treated at Alder Hey every year, while its Emergency Department can see up to 190 children daily during peak winter periods. SipSmart is one example of how Alder Hey is working with partners to explore practical digital tools that respond to real frontline challenges.
The project was delivered by Tecknuovo on a pro bono basis, drawing on the company’s experience designing and building digital services across the public sector.
Katie Carruthers, Managing Director at Tecknuovo, said:
“We’re so proud to have partnered with Alder Hey on a project that shows how simple technology can make a meaningful difference on the frontline of the NHS, and young patients.
“Good technology should make life easier for the people using it. SipSmart gives clinicians better information while making it simpler for families to support their child’s care at a very anxious time.
“As the NHS continues to move to more digital solutions, we need to keep adopting practical tools that solve real problems for patients, staff and families.”
Janet Green, Alder Hey Children’s Kidney Fund, said:
“Over many years, Alder Hey Children’s Kidney Fund has supported numerous projects designed to improve care for children with kidney and related health needs. We were pleased to support SipSmart and help make this practical tool available to families and clinical teams at Alder Hey.”
The team hopes learning from SipSmart will help inform future work on simple, low-cost digital tools that support frontline care.
