Decontamination
The NHS uses around two million single-use anaesthetic masks via NHS Supply Chain annually, which – if replaced with reusable anaesthetic masks, processed using this innovative process – would generate a reduction of 120 tonnes of waste and 765 tonnes of CO2e.
includes detailed SOPs and training material, with reprocessing record cards, and HSG 53 records for compliance to monthly inspections of the respirators. Collectively, this enables the move to safe, sustainable high-quality PPE. The Hello Face P3 Protect, and transparent Hello Face P3 Connect respirators, are being used in NHS Trusts trials, for user/patient feedback, to reduce the use of single-use visors and FFP3s. Given that reusable products pay for themselves in less than a month, typically last 2-5 years, and address poor fitting and poor quality compared with many single use devices, they have many clear benefits, yet despite learnings from the pandemic and the ongoing COVID-19 enquiry, there remains much more to be done to move away from single- use products and PPE. With the success of the trials, and more ongoing – including on other medical devices and PPE, combined with the significant reduction of the UV-C cycle time from 20 minutes to 5 minutes within a year from first certification, the time appears ready to deploy more certified UV-C to reprocess MDs requiring HLD. This will ease pressure on SSDs, reduce reprocessing costs, and significantly cut CO2e, while potentially extending the life of medical devices and other devices. The UV-C cabinets are ‘plug and play’, and lightweight, with the Minibox weighing 7 kg, and a cycle costing less than one pence, compared with a WD cycle costing £1.72.2 This work will also build confidence that other devices can be safely reprocessed, as has been the experience in site trials, where people have
asked, ‘What about this or that device?’ In the mid to longer term, undertaking further
testing and analysis of the cleaning of devices using innovative equipment, and moving to UV-C for disinfection, could go a long way to reducing power and water consumption across the NHS. Equally, looking at the option of sterilisation
with UV-C would also prove beneficial from a capacity, cost, and environmental standpoint. Given the recent rapid advancements in LED UV-C technology, which are ongoing, and will improve along a similar trajectory to when fluorescent lights and normal light bulbs were replaced by LED lighting, is UV-C, certified to the appropriate standard, about to revolutionise decontamination?
*This article is adapted from an article, which first appeared in CSJ’s sister title, Health Estates Journal, with the Editor’s kind permission.
References 1 Rizan C, Lillywhite R, Reed M, Bhutta MF. Minimizing carbon and financial costs of steam sterilization and packaging of reusable surgical instruments. Br J Surg 2022; 109(2):200-210.
2 Energy Trends and Prices statistical release: 22 December 2022. Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. https://tinyurl. com/yf56c5vr
3 In accordance with ISO15883 series. 4 As defined in the Spaulding scale. 5 BS8628-2022 – Disinfection using ultraviolet radiation. Methods for quantitative testing of automated ultraviolet disinfection activities by direct illumination. Determination of bactericidal, mycobactericidal, sporicidal, yeasticidal, fungicidal, virucidal and phagocidal activities.
https://tinyurl.com/mw9he3dj
6 NHS Supply Chain FOI for 2023/24. 7 Eco Medic
https://www.ecomedic.co.uk/ 8 The Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022. https://tinyurl. com/yfr9dxrv
9 Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ National Health Service. NHS England, 4 July 2022. https://tinyurl. com/2wbprwmz
Paul Chivers wearing the Hello Face transparent respirator and Bollé eye protection.
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www.clinicalservicesjournal.com I January 2026
10 NHS clinical waste strategy. NHS England, 7 March 2023.
https://tinyurl.com/yfhasfyy
About the author CSJ
Paul Chivers was the head of PPE Reuse, Innovation and Sustainability at the Department of Health & Social Care and the NHS Supply Chain through the pandemic. A frequent presenter at national and international conferences on sustainability and innovation, he is now an independent consultant at PCC Sustainable Solutions, who works with organisations including Bollé Safety, Envirosmart, Mackwell Health, Hello Face, and Brighton and Sussex School of Medicine (BSMS), At the latter he is managing a number of studies ‘evidencing the benefits of innovation for wider adoption’, and is also involved in work to demonstrate improved environmental cleaning, ‘to reduce CO2e, waste, spend, and hospital- acquired infections.’
SCAN ME
CSJ interviewed Andy Davies, at Mackwell Health, to find out more about the real-world applications of UVC and how it can help achieve
sustainable healthcare. In this video, he discusses the latest trials and case studies taking place in NHS Trusts. Scan the QR code to view the video or visit:
https://youtu.be/Uw63H-TIeq4
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