Joining the Circular Economy Healthcare Alliance
Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust (CLCH) is one of seven healthcare trusts across England that have come together to form the Circular Economy Healthcare Alliance, demonstrating their commitment to a greener and more sustainable NHS.
Together with University College London Hospitals, University Hospitals Sussex, Cambridge University Hospitals, West London NHS Trust, Imperial College Healthcare, and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the trusts have outlined their intentions to reduce waste and carbon emissions. In a joint statement, they declared:
“As part of our commitment to sustainability, our collaborative group of NHS trusts aims to reduce single-use medical equipment and consumables, reusing wherever it is clinically feasible and appropriate to do so. This will be reflected in our evaluation criteria for selecting products and suppliers through the procurement process, and through building skills, knowledge, and processes in our Trusts to enable this transition.”
The alliance is spearheaded by Professor Mahmood Bhutta, a consultant ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon and clinical lead for environmental sustainability at University Hospitals Sussex. He is also Professor of Sustainable Healthcare at Brighton and Sussex Medical School.
He said: “The NHS in England generates a staggering 440 tonnes of medical waste every day. While discarding items has become commonplace, our research and analysis reveal that this is often unnecessary and perpetuated by misconceptions about infection risk.
“By forming this alliance, we advocate for a shift towards using reusable products whenever safe to do so and will always prioritise suppliers that value sustainability. We encourage others in the NHS to join us.”
The alliance is focusing on three key areas of change: avoiding the use of items that are not needed, using reusable items rather than single-use wherever possible and safe to do so, and ensuring end-of-life items are returned for remanufacture or recycling where feasible.
Tom Wright, Director of Sustainability at CLCH, highlighted the Trust's dedication to this initiative, stating: “Joining the Circular Economy Healthcare Alliance underscores our commitment to delivering great care closer to home while embedding sustainable practices into everything we do. By rethinking how we procure and use medical equipment, we can reduce waste and carbon emissions, helping to create a healthier planet for future generations. This collaboration signals our ambition to lead in sustainable healthcare and inspire others to join the movement towards a circular economy.”
The procurement process plays a vital role in determining the products the NHS chooses to use. It is often the first step in selecting reusable items and those that are less harmful to the environment.
If you have any questions about the work the alliance is doing or would like to collaborate, please contact the Sustainability team at clcht.green.sustainability@nhs.net.
For more information about the alliance, please visit the BSMS website.
