Hydration - know your rights and responsibilities in the workplace (Royal College of Midwives)

Summary

The Royal College of Midwives is calling for "common sense" from NHS trusts and boards on staff access to water and other drinks.

The college is concerned that the health and wellbeing of midwives could be in jeopardy as a result of having limited opportunities to stay hydrated on long, hot shifts.

.In new guidance to its members, the RCM sets out the importance of staying hydrated on shift and the potential implications of not doing so. These included an impact on decision making, memory, attention span, mood and tiredness. The document also debunks myths suggesting that having fluid bottles on units is a cross infection risk.