Let’s Not Waste was a pioneering programme from September 2022 – August 2024 to support waste reduction and decarbonisation in the Welsh health and care sector.
Click this link for access to Professor Don Berwick’s masterclass on reducing waste!
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 focussed 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 was evolutionary and iterative to ensure we are sharing existing good practices and building upon innovative ideas as they evolved. It provided a focus and concerted effort to engage people within their workplaces and communities, in achieving demonstrable reductions in waste. It also created a network of working groups in Wales and drew on the innovative ideas of Bevan Exemplars, to catalyse a wider movement for change across health and care systems and services.
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? Join the network and be part of the change.
Join the Network
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This document serves as a broad summary workflow designed to assist management at all levels,…
This report presents an overview of the data gaps identified within the healthcare sector in…
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Case Studies
All-Wales Case Studies
As part of the Let’s Not Waste programme, the Bevan Commission has brought together a range of tried and tested examples of how to reduce waste across health and care in Wales. These case studies provide a useful resource for others to learn from, adapt and apply to different local contexts. The adoption and spread of these innovative examples of practice will be critical to help ensure we reduce waste in all its forms across health and care in Wales. We must all work together to ensure we have a sustainable health and care system that is fit for the future – our future.
All-Wales Case Studies
International 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-commission@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…
Operating theatres are an important focus in carbon reduction: they account for as much as…
Widely used in everyday surgeries, anaesthetic and medical gases are responsible for around 2% of…
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…
Using AI and Virtual Reality to revolutionise how patients engage with treatment.
Enhancing counselling and access to postnatal contraception for better family planning support.
The Waste Improvement and Innovation Network Portal driving sustainable solutions.
Empowering patients with education and informed consent for blood transfusion procedures.
Improving children’s physiotherapy with 'Tele TWT': early triage and brief intervention.
Martin Davies (CTUHB), Emma Williams (CTUHB) and Anne Hinchliffe (PHW) Cwm Taf University Health Board…
Behaviour Change Templates
Toolkits
Reducing Dispensary Plastic Bag Use
Single Use Plastics Reduction
Toolkits
Your Medicines Your Health
Toolkits
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- English Toolkit
- Welsh Toolkit (Coming Soon)
Walking Aids Recycling / Reuse Guide
Toolkits
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- English Toolkit
- Welsh Toolkit (Coming Soon)
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
