A team at Edinburgh Napier University has developed a standardised colour palette that can be used by patients and clinicians when describing the colour of fluids like urine and sputum. The free online tool, called What Colour Is It?, resembles a paint colour card, with palettes of either 13 or 15 clinically-relevant colours for identifying the colour of sputum, urine and faeces. The researchers said by reducing the level of subjectivity when describing different colours, the tool can help make diagnosis faster and more accurate, and so help improve patient outcomes. They also said having a chart to refer to can reduce the embarrassment that can make it difficult for patients to discuss bodily fluids with clinicians. Hazel McPhillips, an advanced nurse practitioner and a lecturer at Napier, said: “We rely on our patients describing a colour and us assuming that we’re thinking the same colour.

Source: The Times January 03, 2026 08:43 UTC