14/11/2025
Check the expiration date of your hot water bottles.
That is what patient Roni Bent, a 19-year-old university student, is urging people to do after suffering severe burns from an expired hot water bottle.
Roni was taken to QMC and later transferred to the City Hospital burns unit for treatment where she has praised staff for the care she has received. She also praised the quick thinking of her flatmates, who followed the correct burns first aid procedure, known as the Three C’s:
Cool – Run the burn under cool water for at least 20 minutes.
Call – Contact your GP, 111, or 999 for advice and to be directed to the right place for treatment.
Cover – Use clingfilm to gently cover the burn (do not wrap it tightly) or use a soft, non-textured cloth such as a pillowcase.
You can check the expiry date of a hot water bottle by looking for the flower symbol stamped on the rubber.
After a week in hospital, Roni is now recovering and urging others to always check expiry dates and use warm, not boiling, water when filling a hot water bottle.
To find out more about Roni’s story, please see the links in the comments.
