Sustainability strategy
power to encourage our suppliers to cut their greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero and limit the negative environmental and social impacts of our supply chain. The harm caused by the over-use of resources is very real, but it is often hidden from sight, and there is a role for everyone in the NHS in helping to reduce these impacts.”
On a fundamental level, the push for Net Zero also means encouraging innovation – and who better to deliver it than the people who are closest to the issues and can first-hand see how inefficient, emissions-producing processes are contributing to climate change? It is vital, therefore, that we focus on the important role of inspiring the health service workforce to draw on its unique frontline insights and identify the forward-thinking ideas that matter in reaching Net Zero. Indeed, there are existing tools that can be utilised to make NHS Scotland more environmentally sustainable – and significant progress has already been made – but the workforce must also advocate for environmental action and crucially, be supported to make its own breakthroughs. Formal NHS Scotland partner, InnoScot Health has seen many successful and innovative carbon-reducing initiatives in recent times which are all contributing to the Net Zero target. InnoScot Health believes that NHS staff are key enablers of change, helping to accelerate the use of technologies and innovations, simple or complex, which are vital to collective action in the fight against climate change. It insists that small ideas can make big differences, even if they’re just minor adjustments to existing
practices. InnoScot Health’s own sustainability has been the basis for such learnings,
call2
while encouraging health and social care professionals to come forward with their ideas for greener ways of working that can help NHS Scotland to adapt and strengthen. At the NHS Scotland Event earlier this year,
delegates heard how NHS Tayside and the NHS 24 Green Flow Navigation Centre (FNC) had focused on positive benefits to patients and the environment from promoting remote patient consultation and delivery of care closer to home, in turn saving some 55.2 tonnes of CO2
emissions
annually. Last year, NHS Scotland became the first national health service in the United Kingdom to stop using an environmentally damaging anaesthetic gas. In fact, Desflurane – used as an anaesthetic during surgery – has a global warming potential
which is 2,500 times greater than carbon dioxide. Its removal from use in hospital theatres and replacement with a less harmful gas across NHS Scotland is now saving emissions equivalent to powering 1,700 homes every year, leading to international recognition. Last year, the medical gases team at NHS
Scotland won the Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe Award for its Green Anaesthesia Scotland project. It also won 2023 Scottish Public Service Award at a Scottish Parliament ceremony. The National Green Theatres Programme has further aimed to cut the high emissions and waste typically generated in surgery, while maintaining the highest levels of patient safety and quality of care. The programme’s first set of actions were
expected to reduce emissions by 7,100 tonnes of carbon dioxide – equivalent to 4,400 single passenger return flights from Glasgow to New York. The programme features a number of measures including moving away from single use instruments/consumables, introducing waste segregation, and switching from pre- operative intravenous to oral paracetamol. Just recently, it was reported that switching
off Heating, Ventilation and Air-conditioning (HVAC) systems within operating theatres, during out of hours operation, could save as much as 5,937 tonnes of carbon each year while, producing an annual green dividend of £3,587,549. The National Green Theatres Programme
noted: “Operating theatres are three to six times more energy intensive than the rest of a hospital as a whole. This carries a financial, as well as environmental, cost that is often poorly appreciated. “People are increasingly aware of the need to
reduce energy consumption at home, and it is important that the NHS educates, encourages and enables staff to do the same at work. Within the operating suite HVAC systems commonly
January 2025 I
www.clinicalservicesjournal.com 61
Svitlana -
stock.adobe.com
Andrii -
stock.adobe.com
t
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
