FEATURE
SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability in healthcare
The NHS is the first healthcare system in the world to commit to becoming net zero. Liam Mynes from Tork manufacturer Essity looks at how reducing the use of disposables in hospitals can result in more sustainable healthcare outcomes.
Healthcare in England contributes to between four and five per cent of all national emissions, according to estimates. So the National Health Service (NHS) has a clear responsibility to minimise its environmental impact.
This is why the NHS has become the world’s first healthcare system to commit to net zero. It made this pledge in 2020 and is aiming to deliver better patient care while minimising costs and reducing environmental impact on future services through the creation of a more sustainable business model.
Part of the new NHS strategy involves reducing the amount of waste produced in hospitals. The Design for Life Roadmap, published in October 2024, includes radically reducing the number of single-use medical items used in healthcare.
According to the government, tens of millions of disposable items are currently being binned after just one use, with disposable medical devices substantially contributing to the 156,000 tonnes of clinical waste that the NHS produces every year in England alone.
NHS chiefs now plan to work with manufacturers to produce more sustainable products in a bid to cut down on waste and reuse, remanufacture and recycle whatever products they can.
One way in which hospitals can work towards improving their sustainability goals is by cutting down on paper waste. Hospitals use a great deal of paper for various applications
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such as couch rolls, hand wiping and surface cleaning. So, all efforts need to be made to control the consumption of such products.
Of course, it is imperative that healthcare workers should never skimp on their hand hygiene regimes or cut corners on cleaning protocols, but paper systems which naturally reduce overconsumption will make it difficult for the user to take more product than they need. Not only will this be good for the environment, it will also reduce costs at a time when facilities are strapped for cash.
For example, Tork dispensers are designed to give out hand towels, cloths and wipers one at a time. This means that each healthcare worker will only take out the amount of paper they need when wiping their hands or surfaces.
The dispensers are also designed to protect the paper inside before use. Loose wiping rolls could easily become damp, soiled or contaminated in a healthcare environment which means the entire roll might need to be discarded, creating unnecessary waste. This will dramatically push up the costs of the facility’s paper supply.
The hands of healthcare workers need to be washed and dried frequently during every shift, and disposable towels are recommended for hand drying in healthcare. This is because each user is supplied with a fresh, clean sheet of paper every time and the drying process is swift, thorough and hygienic.
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