‘Let’s Not Waste’ is a pioneering programme to support waste reduction and decarbonisation in the Welsh health and care sector.
Join the network for exclusive access to Professor Don Berwick’s masterclass on reducing waste!
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Background and context
How can we minimise waste in all its forms across the health and social care sector?
The health and social care system in Wales is facing unprecedented challenges in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, a cost-of-living crisis and the global climate emergency. In response, we must develop innovative ways to use all available resources more efficiently. Reducing waste is a central aspect of the Welsh Government’s Decarbonisation Plan to achieve a net zero public sector by 2030.
About the ‘Let’s Not Waste’ Programme
This programme will focus upon three main aspects to help secure the necessary changes including:
- Reduce – products and services that are not essential
- Reuse – tools, equipment, and other resources
- Recycle – wherever possible to reduce waste and minimise the carbon footprint
The programme will be evolutionary and iterative to ensure we are sharing existing good practices and building upon innovative ideas as they evolve. It will provide a focus and concerted effort to engage people within their workplaces and communities, in achieving demonstrable reductions in waste. It will also create a network of working groups in Wales and draw on the innovative ideas of Bevan Exemplars, to catalyse a wider movement for change across health and care systems and services.
The programme will run from September 2022 to September 2024.
Join the LNW network to reduce waste in health and care to receive support and resources!
Want to fight waste in health and care? With challenges from pandemic recovery, economic pressures, and the climate crisis, it’s crucial we use resources wisely. The Bevan Commission’s Let’s Not Waste network is your chance to make a real difference.
Why Join?
- Gain support, resources, and networking opportunities from the Bevan Commission.
- Share and learn best practices.
- Collaborate on innovative solutions.
Ready to make an impact? Sign the pledge and be part of the change.
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What A Waste!
Dealing with the issue of waste in health and care has been discussed by policy makers, politicians and healthcare professionals since the NHS was founded in 1948. This report calls for a focus on the problem of inappropriate waste in the delivery of health and social care in Wales and urgent action to address it. Reducing waste will play a crucial role in tackling the enormous challenges ahead and in developing more prudent and economically, socially, and sustainable services and support. There are already several good examples of how the 5 Rs’ (’Reduce, Reuse, Reprocessed, Renewable, recycle’) are informing practices in the NHS but more needs to be done. It will need everyone to take responsibility and play a part.
Read 'What a Waste!'
Launch Webinar
On 19 April 2023, we were delighted to be joined by 220 health and care professionals from across Wales to launch this programme. We were joined by some fantastic speakers including Health Minister Eluned Morgan, Professor Sir Don Berwick, Professor Sir Andy Haines and Richard Smith. Please see these speakers’ presentations below.
Watch the launch webinar
Case Studies
Below you will find a selection of case studies demonstrating successful waste reduction initiatives in health and social care across the UK.
We will soon be publishing a comprehensive compendium of waste reduction case studies from across Wales. Sign up to our monthly bulletin to be kept up to date.
If you would like to submit a case study to this resource bank please e-mail Bevan-Lets-Not-Waste@swansea.ac.uk
NHS managers said they spend seven to eight hours a day on admin. A survey…
Sharpsmart is innovating clinical waste management to reduce unnecessary wastage. See the difference they have…
Aims: Aim 1 for Inguinal hernia repair (IHR) project: • To convert as many IHR…
Asthma is the most common respiratory condition in the UK, and Asthma + Lung UK…
Inhalers are a key treatment for respiratory conditions, with approximately 60 million dispensed in England…
Across the NHS, anaesthetic gases are commonly used as a part of everyday surgeries. These…
Around 4% (9.5 billion miles) of all road travel in England relates to the NHS,…
In 2018, one of the largest acute trusts in the UK formed when two NHS…
From sample collections for testing to patient record transfers and transporting medicines, the NHS relies…
Nationally, the NHS fleet and business travel account for around 4% of the NHS Carbon…
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust set itself an ambitious target to be net zero…
Outdoor air pollution is responsible for between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths in the UK every…
Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) opened in 1984 and most of the estate is now…
People with cancer on the Isle of Wight are dependent on mainland providers for an…
Using the All-Wales Asthma & COPD guidelines and key elements of the ABUHB Decarbonisation strategy,…
YMYH supports the Welsh population to get the maximum benefit from their medication. To ensure…
Widely used in everyday surgeries, anaesthetic and medical gases are responsible for around 2% of…
Operating theatres are an important focus in carbon reduction: they account for as much as…
The emergency departments at St Mary’s Hospital and Charing Cross Hospital, both part of Imperial…
Overuse of non-sterile gloves have been seen to increase transmission of pathogens, cross contamination, and…
This project aimed to reduce the waste of linen and consumables in the ICU.
Across Wales, there are approximately 60,000 individuals who are served by the Artificial Limb &…
This project reviewed the method for transporting medications to patients on the wards from the…
Aims: • To reduce the number of bags used for inpatient supplies by >80%. •…
The real cost of food waste The total cost of food waste to the healthcare…
Aim: Introduce and promote the use of re-usable cups and take away boxes in replacement…
Project Aims: 1. Reduce the impact of our self-directed practice (SDP) rooms across the triple…
In 2018, Hywel Dda University Health Board began exploring ways to save money and resources,…
An initiative to make blood sampling more sustainable and less wasteful.
An initiative in Wales to identify more sustainable material usage in a rehabilitation engineering unit…
A project reducing unnecessary waste in Nitrous Oxide usage.
An initiative reducing resource waste by swapping disposable specula for reusable ones.
A Gloucestershire-based initiative to identify and reduce inappropriate food waste in hospital settings.
A project in Hywel Dda University Health Board that redirected nappy waste away from landfills…
A project significantly reducing PPE in Northampton General Hospital.
A project that stopped sending paper copies of endoscopy reports to GP surgeries in Tower…
A team project at Swansea Bay University Health Board in which endoscopy units significantly reduced…
A project which significantly reduced printing in the Research and Development team of Northampton General…
Case Study Velindre Cancer Centre Velindre Cancer Centre’s Bevan Exemplar project is pioneering new ways…
Anu Ajakaiye, Noreen Haque, Maria Kaloudi and Ruth Roberts Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Background:…
Jacqui Jones, Andeep Chohan and Jonathan Turnbull Ross Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust Background: Following…
Joanne Gregory and Stephanie Ditcham Velindre University NHS Trust with WeAreQR and Vale People First This Bevan…
Sarah Roberts Aneurin Bevan University Health Board Background: Variations in gait (walking pattern), foot posture…
Martin Davies (CTUHB), Emma Williams (CTUHB) and Anne Hinchliffe (PHW) Cwm Taf University Health Board…
