Joe Burton is the Sustainability Transformation Project Lead at UCLH. He said: “At UCLH we are passionate about reducing our use of single-use items, as outlined in our net zero strategy Critical Care for Our Climate. Our ambition is that this alliance signals to suppliers a shared desire to change the way that trusts procure single-use items in favour of reusables, supporting the national objective for the NHS to be net zero by 2045. We have multiple projects underway at UCLH to reduce our use of single-use items and continue to share our progress with the alliance.”
Dr Gareth Thompson is the Sustainability Clinical and Innovation Lead at Imperial College Healthcare. He said: “Our health is dependent on the health of nature and the planet. The culture of single-use disposables in healthcare is creating ever greater volumes of waste, which if left unchecked will ironically harm nature and harm our health and the health of future generations.
“The only way to reduce this waste while also delivering world-class healthcare is to create a circular economy which includes re-introducing reusables so that waste is not wasted, and instead becomes a resource that can be used again.”
Virginia Massaro is the Chief Financial Officer and Sustainability Lead at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. She said: “Delivering high-quality sustainable healthcare to our patients protects the natural world and improves the health of our local communities. As an industry, healthcare providers see first-hand the effects of climate change; sometimes creeping symptoms, sometimes life-changing events. This alliance signals a bold move in the right direction, supporting our journey towards net zero.”
The procurement process plays a big part in what products the NHS choose to use. This is often the first step in choosing reusable items and those that are less harmful to the environment.
Keith Rowley is the Chief Officer for Healthcare Supply Chain Association. He said: “HSCA has more than 4,000 members across NHS Procurement and Supply chain, who are committed to meeting NHS Net Zero ambitions. We are therefore delighted to see these five Trusts going the next step to make this become real, by not only making commitment to ‘reduce and re-use’ but embedding this in their procurement process and providing the skills training to make this happen.”
Lord Phillip Hunt is the Patron of Healthcare Supply Chain association. He added: “It’s great to see these Trusts lighting the way in the challenging but essential journey towards NHS net zero. In committing to ‘reduce and re-use’ and providing the process to make it a reality they have set a path for others to follow.”
Other trusts are welcomed and encouraged to join the alliance and work on this mission.
To find out more about CUH’s response to the climate emergency, click here.
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