Swindon innovation improving care for women across the country

An innovative device designed by medics at Great Western Hospital is improving comfort, dignity and outcomes for female patients across the NHS and beyond, while also delivering significant environmental and financial benefits.

UniWee™, which was developed in Swindon by frontline staff in the Emergency Department, enables female patients to pass urine while lying down or when unable to mobilise.

The device helps reduce the need to move patients who are experiencing pain or recovering from injury, improving both comfort and dignity during their care.

Since becoming commercially available through NHS Supply Chain in December 2025, UniWee™ has been adopted by hospitals across the NHS, with growing demand from healthcare organisations in the UK and internationally.

The innovation is already demonstrating significant benefits for patients and healthcare services. At Great Western Hospitals alone, more than 300 female neck of femur fracture patients are treated each year, a group that can particularly benefit from the device.

Based on local estimates, using UniWee™ for this patient group over a 12-month period could:

• Save an estimated 473kgCO₂e, equivalent to the annual carbon absorption of around 18 trees
• Deliver savings of approximately £82 per patient
• Generate an estimated total saving of £24,875 across 320 neck of femur patients
• Reduce the use of single-use plastics and clinical waste, supporting NHS sustainability and Net Zero ambitions
• Save valuable staff time and reduce manual handling requirements

This achievement is one of many examples of innovation across the Trust that are helping to improve patient experience, enhance efficiency and support safer, more sustainable care. It also reflects the organisation’s commitment to continuous improvement, which contributed to its recent journey to achieving a ‘Good’ rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).