Mathew Done from Slo Drinks has been in touch to say that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has finally approved Slo Hot Chocolate and Slo White Coffee on prescription at Stage 1 and Stage 2 consistencies.

Pre-thickened Slo cold drinks in blackcurrant, lemon, orange and peach were already approved as a "nutritional supplement for patient hydration in the dietary management of dysphagia" for anyone over the age of 3 years. The new additions appear to be the only pre-prepared [thickened] hot drinks available on prescription.

The company started three years ago with the aim of addressing the many practical difficulties caused by a variety of people measuring and adding thickener and trying to bring drinks to the prescribed consistency. It has taken two years to get this approval from NICE. I asked Mathew what he thought had made the difference: "I'd like to think we changed their minds by providing them with research we had done over several months. That proved the worth of providing elderly dysphagia patients – who prefer hot drinks to cold – with safe hot drinks."

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