Five teams enter the Green Ward competition
24 March 2022
Five teams across Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have submitted entries in the 2022 Green Ward competition. Each team has been devising and implementing sustainability initiatives to help the Trust meet its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2040.
The Green Ward competition from the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH) is a clinical engagement programme for NHS Trusts wishing to improve their environmental sustainability and reduce their carbon footprint. Facilitators from the centre work directly with participating teams to identify, develop, run, and measure the outcomes of sustainable quality improvement projects.
The five teams are currently participating in workshops and mentoring sessions with CSH as they work on their projects; an overview of each team’s projects is provided below:
Education team:
The education team are focusing on reducing how much single-use equipment is used in their teaching clinical skills sessions for medical students, including reducing the number of clinical items needed in the first place and increasing the reuse of appropriate items.
PEAT team
The PEAT team have introduced dry mix recycling and battery recycling across trial clinical areas. They are also working on improving patient experience and energy saving by promoting turning off lights and closing doors in clinical areas.
Renal – dialysis team
Several projects are underway with the dialysis team, including changes to the dialysis machine cleaning cycles, ensuring machines are turned on only when in use, acid canister recycling, and investigating options for recycling water waste from the dialysis process.
Renal – transplant team
The transplant team are working on sending home blood testing kits that are smaller and have pre-paid postage to patients, to make testing more convenient for patients and minimise the environmental costs of travel to post offices.
Paediatrics
Their project will focus on a gloves off / glove aware campaign, and will look at stopping the use of gloves to administer several medications that do not require gloves to be worn.
Libby Sutherland, Sustainability Manager at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said, "I'm delighted with the number of entries into this year's Green Ward competition. It's such an excellent programme for engaging teams in improving sustainable practices across the Trust. I'm looking forward to seeing the final submissions and impact reports. Good luck to all the teams who have entered."
The winning project will be announced in May at a Trust-wide online showcase and award ceremony, where each team has the opportunity to present and celebrate their project idea, outcomes and learning. A cash prize (minimum £500) is awarded to the team whose project has made the greatest impact (or has the potential to do so) in increasing the sustainability in the Trust. Learning of all teams is celebrated and each will receive a certificate for their valued participation.
