Bevan Fellow
Edwin is known as Prash by his friends and colleagues. He has been a consultant hand and orthopaedic surgeon at Ysbyty Gwynedd since 2012. He has a clinical interest in nerve disorders and small joint reconstruction in the hand and wrist. His research interests include the neuroscience of how the brain controls and senses the hand, and he has been collaborating with the Bangor university on 3 PhDs over the last few years.
Prash also has a major interest is sustainable healthcare. He has published work on reducing the carbon footprint of hand surgery, and has achieved national recognition from the Royal College of Surgeons. He has also won a local award in 2023 from Betsi Cadwaladr Health board for introducing a protocol for reducing costs, and waste in carpal tunnel surgery which resulted in a an 80% reduction in the carbon footprint of this operation.
Prash is a council member for the British Society for Surgery of the Hand (BSSH), and is working at a national level to bring environmental sustainability to the top of the agenda.
Prash’s Bevan Fellow project focuses on the promotion of operating in minor operating suites (MOPS) rather than major operating theatres. It is possible to deliver improved productivity, financial savings and a reduction in carbon emissions. This can be done by
- Moving minor hand surgery cases out of operating theatres
- Streamlining instrument trays and reducing unnecessary equipment
- Reducing surgical waste generation
- Avoiding single use plastics and instruments
- Using reusable surgical drapes and gowns
The focus of his project is to showcase what has already delivered in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and develop it even further. Then to adopt and spread, to promote this methodology at a national level. Prash is having conversations with the National Clinical Strategy for Orthopaedic Surgery (NCSOS) group. They are a clinician led group, supported by Welsh government to improve and standardise care in orthopaedic surgery in Wales.
His project will be undertaken in collaboration with his fellow hand surgeon in Betsi Cadwaladr, Mr Preetham Kodumuri; he is also a Bevan Fellow.
Through his Bevan Fellowship Prash hopes to:
- Educate and train other surgeons in Wales and the UK in becoming more literate in the principles of sustainable healthcare in surgical practice.
- Adopt and Spread the message that surgeons can help reduce the environmental impact of surgical care.
- Raise the profile of his department.
- Help to demonstrate that NHS Wales is committed to playing its part in helping to achieve its own net zero emissions target by 2040.
“I am hoping that the presence of and backing of the Bevan Commission can give me the support, contacts and platform to maximise the impact of this project, helping it to achieve its full potential.”
