MedTech & sustainability
world’s first Net Zero healthcare system by 2040. By 2030, the NHS will only purchase from suppliers that meet Net Zero criteria. The plan is to create low carbon models of care and accelerate the use of digitised services such as virtual wards, and AI driven diagnostics. Medical waste must be cut by 50% and reusable medical technologies are to be prioritised. “The drive to decarbonise the supply chain
will be key for NHS procurement departments, particularly targeting high emission categories such as surgical tools and respiratory care, etc. It’s worth noting that the Design for Life initiative also feeds into this,” she explained. She highlighted the UK’s roadmap for healthcare technology and the circular economy. This aims to eliminate avoidable single-use medical devices by 2045, and contains a 30-point plan. (Visit:
https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/design-for-life-roadmap) “The NHS is already piloting this, and it has been
adopted by a number of Trusts and ICBs with some really good outcomes…It’s worth keeping this in your periphery – at some point, it is likely to become a mandatory programme and you will need to be aware of it,” Dr. Helen Meese advised. She pointed out that these policies signal to
investors, manufacturers, and service providers, that innovation in sustainable devices will be rewarded. Companies will gain certainty that they can align their new product development with carbon reduction targets and secure early adoption into pilot schemes. However, both strategies also acknowledge the need for prudent financial management – not just because the NHS is constrained fiscally but also in aiming to optimise returns on investment for investors. “In combination, these policies should help to
reduce commercial risk and speed up market access for greener technologies, which in turn helps MedTech firms scale up sustainably, in parallel with the NHS’s climate ambitions,” she commented. Both strategies also recognise the need
to build a skilled workforce. “By calling for investment in education and skills across life
We are uniquely positioned to continue leading the NHS into its greener future. The decisions that we make here will determine healthcare’s environmental footprint for generations to come.
sciences, we will hopefully bring in people and keep them here, to help us develop these new technologies. So, where does that leave us as engineers? Well, sustainable products and services are no longer optional. They are an imperative,” she asserted. “As biomedical engineers and clinical engineers, we are uniquely positioned to continue leading the NHS into its greener future. The decisions that we make here will determine healthcare’s environmental footprint for generations to come. The next five years will be a critical window, in which we can embed sustainability across all MedTech disciplines, as well as making it central to service operation and funding strategies.” Life cycle thinking and methodologies must become part of our everyday approach to device design, whether that’s the material sourcing, device durability, reuse, or end-of-life disassembly, Dr. Helen Meese asserted. “We have to ensure that designers are directly accountable and have input into the procedures for managing lifecycle emissions. The clinical quality and carbon reduction must not be seen as trade-offs, but must be unified. Cross-sector collaboration must be baked into our business strategies. Environmental metrics must be
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recognised as a fundamental part of the whole innovation pipeline. We can no longer see them as a ‘nice to have’,” she continued.
Calls for action She highlighted a call to action for UK hospitals, which included: l Promote the adoption of modular design standards.
l Mandate life cycle assessment protocols. l Require the integration of reusable components into procurement guidelines.
l Incentivise the use of low-carbon, recyclable materials.
l Establish pilot programmes with manufacturing partners.
l Create a centralised reporting system for device-level carbon emissions.
l Align procurement policies with Net Zero objectives.
l Monitor and update regulatory frameworks to reflect emerging UK and EU requirements.
l Develop guidelines for digital product passports to capture material origin, carbon footprint, and end-of-life instructions.
l Commission partnerships with accredited waste management organisations.
l Launch training initiatives for clinical staff
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