18562 Online Quaterly Newsletter V5 SINGLE PAGES - Flipbook - Page 20
19 The Interview
”
It’s about making things
easier for people to make
the right choices, and for
reuse that means making the
reprocessing mechanism as
efficient as possible.
“
Q: Specifically in relation to surgical textiles, what
needs to be done to encourage the widespread
adoption of a more circular and sustainable
procurement model? Can this be achieved through
greater education/awareness or do you think this
must ultimately be driven by legislative change?
planet, but also the human dignity of those people
manufacturing the products – often through forced
labour in substandard working conditions. Change
needs to happen, and only through adopting more
sustainable business models and practices can this
be successfully achieved.
A: Ideally, I think one of the best ways of bringing
about change will be to drive a cultural shift from
within the profession. Legislative change alone isn’t
necessarily the right thing because it takes away
choice, and that can lead to conflict. Ultimately,
we want people to make the right decision, but
they need to feel supported in this by their peers.
Personally, I think change is more effective if it comes
from within and therefore the professional bodies that
represent surgical organisations and individuals are
well-placed to play a key role in influencing behaviour
change and attitudes towards sustainability.
Q: Looking at the bigger picture, what are the
most important things that you think must happen
if the NHS is to meet its target of net zero by 2045?
Q: What was it that initially sparked your professional
interest in sustainability?
A: My initial interest actually came from concerns
regarding labour rights abuses. Demand for cheap,
disposable products has led to an unhealthy culture.
In fuelling this, we are not only throwing away our
The Thread
A: If we look specifically at surgical textiles, a lot
of it comes down to education and behaviour
change. It’s about making things easier for people
to make the right choices, and for reuse that means
making the reprocessing mechanism as efficient as
possible. Financial cost is also a factor, and there is
an argument for looking at national infrastructure to
support a circular economy to be centrally funded
to reduce the financial impact on Trusts. I guess on a
related note there also needs to be a change in our
current procurement ideology. Instead of focusing
on short-term procurement structures and quickwin savings we need to be looking at longer-term
efficiency and investing for the future of our planet.
