18562 Online Quaterly Newsletter V5 SINGLE PAGES - Flipbook - Page 19
18
Talking with Professor
Mahmood Bhutta
se
use
Q: Do you think there is currently a sufficiently
joined-up approach within the NHS when it comes
to sustainable procurement? And, if not, what are
the main reasons behind this and how can these
be addressed?
A: I’d say that it’s quite disjointed. Different teams
are working very separately and we really need
to bring people together and align their thinking.
People at the coal face – for example surgeons –
may be demanding disposable surgical textiles, and
procurement teams may be focused on satisfying
this demand. On the other hand, there are experts in
textile science or infection control who will understand
that developments in technology mean that today’s
reusable textiles are very different and far more
advanced than those used historically.
We need the whole healthcare ecosystem to work
together, and I think this needs to start with education.
I’ve been asked to chair a national report on what
sustainable surgery looks like, and I’m creating a
working group looking at how we can embed circular
economy practices. This needs to bring all the right
players together, including people from procurement,
infection prevention and control, government and
industry. There are a lot of complexities involved, but
we’re very keen to move this project forward.
Q: As you have previously stated, operating
theatres are responsible for around one quarter
of all hospital waste, with single-use equipment
responsible for up to 70 per cent of the carbon
footprint of procedures. Why do you think these
figures are still so high given the growing emphasis
on sustainability over recent years?
A: The linear economy model has often taken
precedence and we need to look at what has
perpetuated this. Historically, there were justified
concern about reusable textiles in terms of failures
in materials or standards of cleaning and sterilisation
not being uniform or verified. However, we can now
safely say this is no longer the case so these historical
concerns need to be challenged.
I think we must also examine cultures of practice.
People within the clinical workplace will often stick with
what they know and do what they have always done,
and don’t always necessarily have the knowledge
or understanding to question embedded working
practices. Essentially, it will be about informing them
so they feel emboldened and enabled to make the
right choices for the planet as well as their patients.
Continued…
