Thought leadership We are calling for clinician wellbeing to be
a tender criterion, in the same way as we view environmental aspects within procurement processes.
How does clinician and workforce wellbeing fit into broader sustainable healthcare discussions? EW: As you may be able to tell, I feel passionately about the wellbeing of clinicians and the patients they serve. But too often when we talk about sustainable healthcare, wellbeing is overlooked and the environmental aspects tend to take centre stage.
While decarbonising healthcare remains highly important, we need to have a holistic view and also include clinician wellbeing and the factors causing many clinicians to leave the profession into the discussion.
How can better clinician wellbeing be supported? EW: We know that when clinicians thrive, patients do too. We champion clinician wellbeing through supportive training and advocacy for system-wide change. The decisions and actions we make will have an impact on people directly – patients and clinicians alike. We must look at the big picture and see
where sources of pressure are coming from. Recently, Mölnlycke launched the Non-Value Report, which spotlighted the hidden pressures faced by operating room (OR) teams. When we consider the activities which could be performed by non-specialist staff or new technology, but are instead being performed by nurses, we start to understand how these ‘non-value’ tasks detract significantly from clinical capacity.
For instance, 73% of OR nurses reported
that they frequently worry about how time constraints might impact patient safety or outcomes. At the same time, 58% reported that they would spend more time providing additional patient care, if they had additional time during a shift. And yet, on average, OR nurses spend 64 hours each year loading trolleys. The same applies in wound care, where
clinicians often spend unnecessary time on repeated dressing changes or sourcing materials. Our wound care solutions are designed to reduce these ’non value’ activities through intuitive design, longer wear time and easier handling, giving clinicians back time for direct patient care. We also offer tailored support for clinicians
through our Clinical Support Managers, as well as engaging clinical learning opportunities through the Mölnlycke Clinical Learning Hub. Healthcare providers are expected to be
knowledgeable and up to date across multiple specialties. While we know that we cannot turn generalists into specialists, we can empower them with the tools and knowledge to act with confidence, to know when to refer a patient to specialist care - and to which specialist they should be referred.
It is easy to feel pessimistic about the state of healthcare and clinician wellbeing at the moment. Do you see a future where the pressures faced by healthcare providers today are lessened? EW: These days, we tend to paint a bleak picture of healthcare. But I really do believe that the future is bright. If we address the inefficiencies
and non-patient centred activities in care today, clinicians will have more time for hands-on care. They will feel more fulfilled and retention will improve. It is about giving doctors the time to be doctors and nurses the time to be nurses. At the moment, however, 60% of nurses report skipping breaks due to the time pressures they face. We believe that healthcare manufacturers
need to take their place at the table. We need to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem, and we are working proactively with partners to find these solutions. This collaboration is already visible in wound
care pathways, where we co-create solutions with hospitals to reduce pressure injuries and infection risk. By combining evidence-based dressings with education and digital tracking, the ambition is to help teams standardise best practice and improve both healing outcomes and staff efficiency.
In your view, what needs to change in the healthcare sector to address the dual challenges of environmental and workforce sustainability, and how are you contributing to this transformation? Eric De Kesel (EDK): As an industry, we need to shift our focus from product solutions to holistic solutions. This means integrating products, digital tools, education, self-
care and systemic change to ensure the right outcomes are achieved. As Emma mentioned, our 2025 Non-Value Report shows how time spent on non-value-adding activities detracts from time nurses can spend on value-adding activities in the operating room. Earlier this year, we also released our white
paper Redefining sustainability in healthcare, calling for a unified European approach to medical technology assessment in healthcare. A unified sustainability framework that supports data sharing, enhances procurement training, and prioritises clinician wellbeing and workforce sustainability is essential to integrate environmental, human, and economic factors into the conversation We are determined to help healthcare
systems achieve more care with less resources without compromising safety, quality of care or wellbeing. Holistic, sustainable healthcare that addresses the needs of both people and the planet has never been more urgent. A comprehensive approach that includes enhanced training, workload optimisation and robust support systems is needed to address
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