News
Princess Alexandra Hospital SSD moves to reusables
The sterile services department at Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, Harlow, has taken the decision to move away from single-use plastics to reusable alternatives. Speaking at the Institute of Decontamination Sciences, sterile services manager, Anthony Heard, presented a case study outlining the cost implications and benefits. The sterile services department was already
under pressure to reduce costs, when the supplier of single-use plastics advised of impending price increases. “I considered moving to an alternative supplier,
which might save a few hundred pounds, or whether I could turn to reusables, as I had done 15-years previously, when at Plymouth,” Anthony explained. At Princess Alexandra Hospital, the department’s plastic usage comprised: 27,000 receivers, 36,000 galipots and 6,000 compartmented trays – a total of almost 65,000 single pieces of plastic. The equivalent of 3,300 kg of plastic, these single-use items were previously incinerated after use. Anthony estimated that around three extra wash loads a day would be needed to move to reusable alternatives – one extra load per machine, and calculated that there was spare capacity available. He also investigated the annual cost of single-use, which totalled around £12,160 a year. Both plastic and metal were considered as
reusable alternatives. The concern was that metal would be heavier and would increase the weight of the trays, while feedback from theatres was that plastic is quieter to use. There was also concern
that the metal would reflect under the theatre lights. From Anthony’s point of view, plastic was also more cost-effective. Moving to reusable would require 750 extra wash loads per year; 105 litres of detergent, and 10,800 litres of water – a total ongoing cost of £1,800. The change to reusable would also incur various one-off costs, including £4,000 for racks and around £1,800 for the various reusable plastic items. The total one-off cost was calculated to be around £6,000. “I presented the idea to my divisional management team, who said it could form part of our Net Zero plan,” commented Anthony. The results were impressive: 4,000 kg less waste per year; 65,000 single-use items no longer being used or going for incineration; and a £10,000 annual saving. In appreciation for his work, Anthony was shortlisted for the Trust’s ‘Amazing People Award’ in 2022.
Janine Farmer, commercial manager, Warwick
SASCo, the supplier of Anthony’s reusable plastic products, said: “There is a need to dispel the myths about the use of plastics in hospitals,” she pointed out that, today, 70 percent of used plastic is recoverable. “Anthony and Princess Alexandra Hospital are pioneers, including their sterile services initiative in reducing plastic disposables. Warwick SASCo is in discussion with other Trusts who are following in their footsteps. Theatres and sterile services are prime areas for review. “At Warwick SASCo, we believe that plastic is the
answer to the environmental issues, rather than the cause.”
MBRRACE data reveals continued disparities in maternal deaths
MBRRACE-UK has published data on women who died during, or up to six weeks after, pregnancy between 2019 and 2021 in the UK. This is the first time that the data have
been available ahead of the full Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care report, which is due to be published in October 2023, and responds to a recent call in the Women and Equalities Committee Black Maternal Health report for more rapid publication of data. The 2018–2020 MBRRACE-UK Saving Lives,
Improving Mothers’ Care report previously revealed an almost four-fold difference in maternal mortality rates among Black women and an almost two-fold difference among Asian women when compared with White women. The 2019–2021 data show that these disparities still remain and further emphasises the need for a continued focus on action to address inequalities in maternal health. The key data show that: l The risk of maternal death in 2019 – 2021 was almost four times higher among women from Black ethnic minority backgrounds compared with White women.
l Women from Asian backgrounds also continued to be at higher risk than White women.
l Women living in the most deprived areas have a maternal mortality rate more than twice as high as women living in the least deprived areas.
Complications as a result of COVID-19 was the leading cause of maternal death in the UK between 2019 and 2021 during or up to six weeks after the end of pregnancy. Cardiac disease was the second most
frequent cause of maternal death followed by thrombosis and thromboembolism, and mental health-related causes.
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www.clinicalservicesjournal.com I June 2023
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