A CAMPAIGN is being launched across Worcestershire to inform people of the importance of staying hydrated and consuming the right amount of fluids to stay healthy.

NHS Wyre Forest Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is working in partnership with NHS South Worcestershire and NHS Redditch and Bromsgrove CCGs, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and Worcestershire County Council to help ensure people are aware of the importance of staying hydrated, improve quality of care or self-care and help to prevent hospital admissions.

Medical evidence shows staying hydrated can help prevent conditions such as pressure ulcers, heart disease, diabetes and low blood pressure. It is also recognised that staying hydrated helps keep people alert and feel generally healthier.

The Stay Hydrated, Stay Healthy campaign aims to help people know the importance of staying hydrated, know how much and what to drink.

The campaign is being launched next week, running from Monday to Friday, with a number of information stands being held in hospital receptions across the county. The information stand will be at Kidderminster Hospital on Wednesday (July 16) from 9amuntil noon.

The stand will offer further information about the campaign and health staff will be on hand to offer hints and tips to help people stay hydrated.

Catherine Whitehouse, executive nurse - quality and patient safety for NHS Wyre Forest CCG, said: “The Stay Hydrated, Stay Healthy campaign aims to promote the health benefits of staying hydrated and remind people that a good fluid intake can help cut back on unnecessary hospital admissions.

“When people, especially older people, are admitted to hospital, they can experience complications in their care if they’re dehydrated.

“There are plenty of things people can do to stay hydrated, for example, drinking water regularly throughout the day, eating more fresh fruit and vegetables and remembering to drink more when they exercise or if the weather is hot, as it has been recently.”