Welcome to the latest issue of Health Industry Leaders Magazine, where we delve into the transformative intersections of technology and sustainability shaping the future of healthcare. As the world grapples with unprecedented challenges and opportunities, the role of innovation in fostering a healthier, more sustainable planet has never been more critical.
The integration of cuttingedge technology in healthcare is revolutionising patient care, enhancing precision in diagnostics, and streamlining operations. From artificial intelligence and machine learning to telemedicine and wearable technology, these advancements are not only improving outcomes but also making healthcare more accessible and equitable.
THE POWER OF CLEAN ENERGY: TRANSFORMING HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT
BY OLIVIER BLUM, EVP ENERGY MANAGEMENT BUSINESS, SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
When considering the challenges we face globally, health and sustainability are never far from the top of the agenda. In fact, they are very closely linked. For every degree of global warming, our life expectancy will shrink by nearly six months, according to a 2024 study published in PLOS Climate. The same research notes that, between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 deaths annually. With such an intrinsic link between health and the environment, it becomes apparent that sustainable solutions don’t just tackle the concerns of our planet, but its people too.
Health risks aren’t just identified by life expectancy. The link between air quality and respiratory conditions has been well established – other links have been drawn to include stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer – whether through increases in blood pressure through the body working harder to lower core temperatures, or extreme heat rising heart rates and blood pressures. This list of conditions is only really the start and underscores the need for actions to improve the health of people and planet.
‘This represents a transformative force that holds the key to a healthier and more sustainable future for both humanity and the planet’
Decarbonisation, the core of climate change mitigation, therefore also presents a solution to improve the world’s health. The combination of electrification and digitisation, what we at Schneider Electric call Electricity 4.0, will improve public health, efficiency, resilience, accessibility and sustainability. This represents a transformative force that holds the key to a healthier and more sustainable future for both humanity and the planet.
OLIVIER BLUM, SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
IT’S IN THE PARTICLES
At the heart of the matter lies air quality. We understand that poor air quality, exacerbated by fossil fuel combustion, poses significant risks to human health. But knowing about the problem hasn’t been enough for us to solve it.
To really get to the core of the problem, we need to understand what causes poor air quality, and this is down to particle pollution. These particles come in varied sizes, with PM2.5 (particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller) being particularly concerning due to their ability to penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. Sources of particle pollution include vehicle emissions, industrial processes and energy production and consumption. AI and IoT solutions can empower us to monitor air quality in real-time to provide more insights and details on how the situation is changing.
These issues can largely be solved by reducing reliance on combustion related activities. Simple switches to clean energy sources such as driving an electric vehicle can make an impact. Additionally, digital platforms facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources, enhance the efficiency of shipping through intelligent charging infrastructure, and offshore recharging. Hybrid cruise ships will be able to charge while at anchor offshore using power drawn from renewable sources including wind, solar and tidal, with our innovative project off the Orkney islands. Another example is we can undertake process electrification to swap out blast furnaces for cleaner heat sources. By using clean energy sources and electrifying where possible, we can deliver around 75% of the actions needed to reach net zero.
EXTREME WEATHER
A further challenge we are increasingly witnessing with a warming planet is extreme weather events –and the risk to human health with these are apparent. Tragically, they are becoming increasingly frequent and severe due to climate change. From heatwaves and wildfires to hurricanes and floods, extreme weather events pose significant threats to public health and safety. Globally, the first half of 2024 has highlighted the extent of this problem with significant flooding in Brazil, Dubai and Pakistan. In addition, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), March 2024 saw 3,809 fires burning more than 1,400,000 acres in North America alone, which is roughly the size of the country of Luxembourg.
‘Electricity 4.0 isn’t just about reducing the size and scale of these events; it’s about making us more resilient in the face of them’
Electricity 4.0 isn’t just about reducing the size and scale of these events; it’s about making us more resilient in the face of them. Reducing wildfires will have a tangible impact on air quality which highlights how improving one area positively benefits another.
Integrating digital solutions as part of the planning and response to extreme weather events, powered by reliable clean energy can help protect from disaster too. Advanced weather monitoring systems provide early warnings, allowing communities to prepare and respond effectively. Integrated with smart infrastructure, these systems utilise an array of sensors to gather real-time data on weather patterns and environmental conditions. Employing predictive analytics, they forecast potential hazards and enable preemptive measures to mitigate the impacts of climate-induced disasters.
TREATING THE ISSUES IN FRONT OF US
Electricity 4.0 goes even further. It is a vehicle for democratising access to energy resources, empowering communities to progress and thrive. Solutions such as microgrids are revolutionising energy access, particularly in remote and underserved areas – increasing energy access for all. Beyond this, microgrids have been shown to support with disaster recovery. We’ve already seen some of the benefits Electricity 4.0 can have in a world of unprecedented weather events, but being able to restore power quickly means critical services can be back up and running.
And that’s only the start of how access to energy can be transformative for improving more than just the health of the planet. Reliable electricity supply is essential for critical infrastructure such as healthcare facilities, ensuring the availability of life-saving equipment, refrigeration for medicines, and lighting for surgeries and emergency services. By bridging the energy gap, electrification can be a key technology for supporting communities to reach their full potential.
‘It’s clear electrification and digitisation are not just technological shifts or tick box exercises’
It’s clear electrification and digitisation are not just technological shifts or tick box exercises; they possess the power to transform lives. By harnessing the additional benefits clean energy can provide, we can address pressing environmental and public health challenges, through reducing air pollution, improving our buildings to reduce and adapt to natural disasters and to use it as a tool to enable all communities to invest in better healthcare provisions. These investments in sustainability and resilience not only benefit the present generation but also lay the foundation for a brighter and more equitable future for generations to come.
CHAMPIONING PROGRESS AT THE NHS WELSH SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS
With an ambition for the public sector in Wales to collectively achieve net zero by 2030, healthcare has a significant role to play in getting there. It is estimated that in 2018 and 2019, the NHS Wales Carbon Footprint made up approximately 2.6% of Wales’ total emissions.
As the Welsh Government’s Health and Social Care Climate Emergency National Programme strives to bring emissions down through clear leadership and collaboration, it is the NHS Wales Staff who are ultimately best placed to support sustainable change within the sector at large.
While there is still a way to go, the efforts to date demonstrate a commitment to sustainability across Wales’ NHS trusts. In recognition of the vast array of measures and schemes already in place, the NHS Welsh Sustainability Awards recently shone a spotlight on the sector’s determination to decarbonise.
The awards, which were held in June this year, were led by Hywel Dda University Health Board with the support of the Welsh government, and announced the following winners:
THE CNO’S ‘SUSTAINABILITY IN NURSING & MIDWIFERY’ AWARD: SWANSEA BAY UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD
THE SPREAD & SCALE AWARD: CARDIFF AND VALE UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD
THE SUSTAINABLE CHAMPION AWARD: ANEURIN BEVAN UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD
THE COHESIVE COMMUNITIES WALES AWARD: POWYS TEACHING HEALTH BOARD
THE MORE EQUAL WALES AWARD: PRINCE CHARLES HOSPITAL
“The dedication and innovation shown by all the Welsh Sustainability award entrants is truly inspiring”
Sue Tranka, Chief Nursing Officer for Wales
THE CULTURE & LANGUAGE WALES AWARD: HYWEL DDA UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD
THE PROSPEROUS WALES AWARD: CARDIFF AND VALE UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD
THE RESILIENT WALES AWARD: SWANSEA BAY UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD
THE HEALTHIER WALES AWARD: PRIMARY CARE DIVISION, PUBLIC HEALTH WALES
THE GLOBALLY RESPONSIBLE WALES AWARD:
CARDIFF AND VALE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL HEALTH BOARD
Chief Nursing Officer for Wales, Sue Tranka commended the ongoing efforts in the country, and said: “The dedication and innovation shown by all the Welsh Sustainability award entrants is truly inspiring.
“Your commitment to sustainable healthcare practice is commendable and sets a remarkable example for the entire healthcare community.
“Thank you for your outstanding contributions towards a more sustainable future for healthcare in Wales, and congratulations to the winners.”
SOME TRUSTS WON MULTIPLE AWARDS FOR THEIR NUMEROUS SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES
With three awards to their name, Cardiff and Vale University Hospital Health Board were the most decorated winners of the evening, having initially had 17 schemes shortlisted.
The winning three included the Spread & Scale award for their Walking Aids Recycling Scheme, through which the trust’s Physiotherapy team oversaw the refurbishment of 8,000 walking aids in two years, preventing them from ending up in landfill after identifying a lack of procedure to properly recycle and reuse them.
The KidzMedz Cymru project won The Prosperous Wales Award, thanks to their work helping children over five to transition from liquid to solid medicine, through educational kits including dummy capsules and certificates.
As well as costing more, liquid medicines often lead to more wastage due to their shorter shelf life, and a higher carbon footprint due to increased packaging. The scheme has seen a reduction in the number of liquid medicines dispensed.
Finally, the trust’s Adult Critical Care Unit won the Globally Responsible Wales Award for their sustainable changes including reducing their electricity consumption, and the recycling of enteral feed bottles.
Calum Shaw, the Cardiff and Vale’s Environmental Sustainability Project Manager, said: “These awardwinning projects demonstrate some of the amazing work being done across the Health Board to deliver environmentally friendly outcomes and to act for the future.
“There is vast knowledge and experience within all our nominated projects, which I hope can support and inspire further sustainable change within our healthcare settings.”
‘There is vast knowledge and experience within all our nominated projects’
Swansea Bay University Health Board also celebrated multiple successes, having won both The Chief Nursing Officer’s ‘Sustainability in Nursing & Midwifery’ Award for the introduction of the Minuteful for Wound app, allowing the remote viewing of wounds and digitisation of patient records, saving 450,000 sheets of paper per year, as well as the and The Resilient Wales Award.
Regarding the latter, Annie Hill, Occupational Therapy Team Lead for Gwelfor Ward at the trust, spoke of the winning litter picking initiative, which alongside its environmental benefits also aimed to provide patients with “a therapeutic activity outside of the hospital environment and to develop new social networks.”
She said: “As a team, we are delighted to have won this award. This project highlights how a simple idea can have a wide impact and recognises the hard work of our staff and commitment to the patients within our services.
“The service leads within Occupational Therapy have welcomed discussions with myself about how we can improve our working practice and are keen to embrace sustainable healthcare.
“We recognise the urgency of action needed to address the climate emergency and the importance of our role in integrating sustainable practice into our everyday work.”
Having saved thousands of the plastic lids from going to landfill, they were then used to create a piece of art to honour the efforts of staff and volunteers throughout the vaccination programme.
THE AWARDS CELEBRATED SUPPORTING PEOPLE AND PATIENTS
Another theme that arose at the awards was the strive to support communities. Demonstrating this, The Cohesive Communities Wales Award went to Powys Teaching Health Board for their work in overcoming digital barriers, and improving access to digital healthcare through the provision of iPad loans and technology coaching.
Additionally, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board’s Prince Charles Hospital won the More Equal Wales award for their Supported Internships project, which offers structured work-based placements and a job coach to those with learning disabilities or special educational needs.
Rhian Carta, Head of Pharmacy PCH said: “The pharmacy department has fully embraced the supported internships – showcasing the team’s commitment to our health board values of working together and treating everyone with respect.
“Our department has gained immensely from the internships with the growth of an inclusive culturemaking our workplace a more supportive and diverse environment.”
Hywel Dda University Health Board also demonstrated their appreciation of both the environment and healthcare community through the winning scheme of the Culture and Language Wales Award.
Starting during the height of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, Gemma Brown, who was at the time the mass vaccination centre lead at Hywel Dda, encouraged the collection of vaccine vial lids.
Having saved thousands of the plastic lids from going to landfill, they were then used to create a piece of art to honour the efforts of staff and volunteers throughout the vaccination programme.
‘A Dose of Art’ was created by Nathan Wyburn, portraying two smiling NHS staff to convey a message of hope, freedom, community, light, and life.
Sharon Daniel, Interim Executive Director for Nursing, Quality and Patient Experience at Hywel Dda, said: “The vaccine programme was incredibly necessary, but an unintended outcome was an increase in waste destined for landfill.
“It was inspired of Gemma to see an opportunity to repurpose the plastic lids to not only create a piece of artwork but to also prevent thousands of bits of plastic from simply being thrown away.”
Ultimately, despite the ongoing need for action, the awards highlighted NHS Wales’ commitment to sustainability, while remaining in the service of the communities they provide for.
REIMAGINING THE SANITARY PAD IN THE NAME OF EQUALITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
With menstruation affecting half of the world’s population, the potential to make a difference to not only the way people experience periods, but the wider environmental implications, is huge and largely unexplored.
As per the norm today, menstruation is treated as an individual issue, and those who have periods are expected to buy their own sanitary products, keep them close at hand, and ultimately accept responsibility for their own preparedness.
Today, this concept is being challenged. What if all bodily functions were dealt with in this way? What if people were expected to carry around a supply of toilet paper? These are the questions that Egal, creators of Pads on a Roll, are asking people to consider.
Their stance is that periods can be experienced in a more equal and dignified way, while unlocking the additional benefit of reducing carbon emissions.
Health Industry Leaders spoke to CEO Penelope Finnie and UK Head of Sales & Growth Niamh D’Arcy, to gain an insight into the product that they hope will revolutionise the way the world thinks of, and experiences, periods.
A PROBLEM THAT IMPACTS HALF OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION
For those who don’t experience menstruation, it can be difficult to explain the amount of forward-planning required, and in times of emergency, the stress levels that periods can cause.
Traditional solutions such as vending machines in public toilets aren’t the most effective solution either, Penelope argues: “First of all, there’s never anything in them. Secondly, they’re always jammed and broken.”
Their positioning outside of the cubicle causes further problems, as it means that in the event of starting menstruation unexpectedly, it’s often necessary to exit the cubicle just to access the products required.
Niamh added: “The placement of different things in bathrooms has changed over time, and actually it was only in the 1920s that toilet paper was popularised in actual cubicle stalls.
“Toilet roll used to be outside and people would take sheets into the toilet with them, and you would never imagine now doing that to people. It’s just there when people need it because that’s the dignified thing to do.
“When I think about the placement of period product delivery in public places, it’s a hundred years backwards. We’ve had so much innovation like menstrual cups and different types of tampons and paper products, but the delivery and placement of their products just has not innovated.”
Egal’s solution – Pads on a Roll – reimagines sanitary pads and mirrors the design of toilet roll, as its name suggests. A roll of 40 pads can be mounted alongside the roll of toilet paper, ensuring that the cubicle is equipped for all needs as they arise.
Additionally, moving the product into the stall improves accessibility to those who may not be able to use vending machines or easily leave the cubicle, such as those with disabilities, and combats period poverty by supplying free products in public to those who struggle to afford buying their own.
‘It will benefit the majority when you design for the minority.’
Niamh D’Arcy, Egal
PADS ON A ROLL COULD UNLOCK ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
As well as improving the equality and accessibility of sanitary products, the potential to bring down emissions is huge given the scale the product’s widespread roll out could achieve.
Firstly, to save on the huge volumes of water involved in cotton production, the pads are composed of wood fibres from eucalyptus trees, and wrapped in plantbased plastic or paper.
This transition to paper packaging, made from sustainable paper pulp, saves 7% on material use and addresses Scope 1 emissions by reducing the energy required during production, and Scope 3 emissions by using biodegradable and sustainable materials.
Packaging is a huge consideration when it comes to emissions. Through the design of their system, not only have Egal strived to ensure that what packaging they need is sustainable, they have also sought to eliminate as much of it as possible.
Due to being a bulk product, a single Egal pad requires just 1.3 grams of packaging – the outer wrapper –compared to the approximate 9.2 gram boxes stocked in vending machines.
Not only does this result in an 86% reduction in packaging weight, saving 8.7 tons per million pads, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions are reduced through both the reduction in energy consumption during manufacture, and the decreased carbon footprint associated with the production, transportation, and disposal of packaging materials.
The reduced weight of the product and compact design also means that transportation emissions are lower than their heavier and bulkier counterparts. As Egal pads, which are wingless to further prevent wasted materials during manufacture, are 86% lighter and save 82% in transportation volume, this has a knock on effect where fuel and storage is concerned.
Sustainability is an ongoing mission, and the company’s sights are firmly set on how the product can continue to evolve in an environmentallyconscious way.
Looking to the future, Egal plans to innovate a plant based pad, which will eliminate all petroleum based materials by utilising FSC Certified Wood Fluff and a corn starch based bioplastic.
These have been certified to a 60% breakdown in landfill compared to plastic, which would take 500 years, and Penelope also alluded to plans to one day utilise bio-waste by manufacturing wrappings out of banana leaves and sugar.
‘We make 10 million pads a month. It saves 87 tons of packaging a month.’
Penelope Finnie, Egal
EGAL ARE MAKING THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN GLOBALLY AND IN THE UK
With Pads on a Roll already appearing in cubicles across the world in regions such as the USA, Asia, and Middle East, Egal has also entered the UK, and has established a partnership with washroom hygiene company PHS.
Penelope said: “The mandates in the UK for schools I think have been done initially so that kids would have products to take home. Right now the products generally are in a box in the nurse’s office.
“What we are hoping, and PHS is hoping too, is that there will start to be an understanding that it’s not just about period poverty, it’s about having access to products when you need them.
“So when you’re in a class and your period starts, you’ve got a product right there. When you’re going out to be in a sports game, you’ve got a product right there. When you’re at work, you’ve got a product right there.”
Egal are also running pilots with NHS trusts, after a 2022 survey at St Bart’s Hospital revealed that 1 in 2 menstruating staff members have irregular periods, 72% have leaked through clothing at work, and 92% say their workload has impacted their ability to take regular toilet breaks.
As such, Egal are striving to work with NHS Trusts in the hopes that having period products when and where they are needed will support staff in an environment where their having free products isn’t mandated as it is with patients.
Moreover, the NHS’s mission to reduce their Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions as outlined in their Green Plan and decarbonise the supply chain will ultimately call upon all areas of their services and offerings, menstrual healthcare included.
Ultimately, in reimagining such an essential product, Egal hopes that the benefits to sustainability and equality Pads on a Roll could unlock will be reaped on a global scale, and revolutionise how half of the world experiences periods going forward.
LOY’S STORY: WHY WE MUST RE-EDUCATE THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR ON INNOVATION
“If you could redesign healthcare based on the knowledge & technology available today, what would you do?”
It was with these words that I updated my LinkedIn profile back in 2007. Back then I thought I was in the midst of a tech-enabled transformation but today’s Large Language Models, Large Multi-modal Models, and to a lesser extent, Federated Data Platforms are revolutionising healthcare.
However, whilst the technology has advanced over the years, many of the same issues hindering the adoption of innovation remain.
With each new idea comes concern and curiosity. Funding for new health-tech ventures seems to have dried up with many adopting a mantra of “Survive till ‘25”, and investors nervous to take a chance on something new.
But healthcare desperately needs new solutions. Growing ailing populations aside, the NHS in England has weathered a string of funding cuts, resulting in strained services and industrial action. Rising demand and stagnant wages are driving people either away from the profession or overseas for better pay and conditions.
But it need not be like this. By embracing and investing in innovation, many of the pressures the sector faces could be eased.
A PERFECT STORM OF INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY
My career hasn’t always been in health. I grew up in Mumbai, and found my first job in consulting in the late ‘80s. The innovative nature of the dot-com boom tempted me, but when boom turned to bust I took the opportunity to enrol on an Executive MBA at London Business School in 2002.
It was the kindness of a classmate that helped me first establish my own company consulting on innovation and strategy for new ventures.
During my studies I worked with a biotech company which wished to assess the potential market for a cure for diabetes, based on pancreatic beta cells generated from partially differentiated stem cells. It was a complex forecasting problem.
Reflecting on this I resolved to improve the process of healthcare innovation for the benefit of all, starting with the management of diabetes.
THE FUSION OF HUMAN REFLECTION AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION
I experienced a beneficial set of coincidences. An LBS alum had asked me to advise a group of students evaluating an American company that had built technology to connect a wide range of medical devices to a dial-up modem. The tech collected patients’ vital signs from their homes and relayed them to a healthcare facility to be assessed by professionals. These were the early days of remote patient monitoring.
At around the same time, I was writing an innovation case study on a new venture developed by BT and, whilst driving home with the study’s sponsor after presenting my findings, we spoke of my diabetes work. I shared my discoveries about remote patient monitoring technology and he shared how BT had been funding a pilot project at Hope Hospital in Salford where diabetes specialist nurses had been calling patients and coaching them through their own care.
‘It struck us that these could be combined to offer a powerful new way of helping people manage their diabetes.’
Over the next three years, with my new-found friend and co-conspirator Rob, I managed to scrape together £5,000 from an internal budget to fund me to outline a business case. He then managed to find £30,000 from another budget to build a prototype and demonstrate proof-of-concept. Rob was on a roll, persuading BT to put together a team to create a strategy for a new business based on products and services for remote patient monitoring.
Before long, BT’s Telehealth practice was born.
Everyone we spoke to across the health ecosystem said our proposal made great sense – tracking the day-to-day health of patients with long-term conditions, and providing support would help alleviate pressure on healthcare providers by treating conditions before they escalated. BT’s project caused others to take notice.
Other giants like GE Healthcare, Intel, Bosch and Philips soon waded in. The Department of Health funded the biggest clinical trial, the Whole System Demonstrator, to gather evidence on the impact of remote monitoring tech on the health outcomes of people with diabetes and other long-term conditions. Telecare and Telehealth Services Association memberships in the UK swelled to over 200 companies. Intel set up the Continua Health Alliance, a global collaboration of over 300 companies to agree on technical standards and reimbursement models. So, why does it feel like all of that momentum amounted to almost nothing?
RE-EDUCATING THE APPROACH TO INNOVATION IN HEALTHCARE
The healthcare industry is innovative when it comes to medicines but it’s common knowledge that it lags behind other industries – as much as 15-20 years – when it comes to the adoption of IT. This stalled progress.
With little commercial success, GE Healthcare, Intel, and Bosch had already thrown in the towel. When I left BT in 2014, BT soon did the same.
But innovation within the sector was desperately needed, especially if services like the NHS were to survive. For this, re-education was vital. I have since focused my energy on driving change in the mindsets of those leading the healthcare sector.
As a member of the Royal Society of Medicine’s Digital Health Council, I’ve helped organised events showcasing excellence in the application of tech to healthcare, providing insights and inspiration to a new generation of innovators. I’ve also mentored over 100 health-tech start-ups.
In re-educating those responsible for making innovation happen within the sector I’ve partnered with Imperial College Business School. Starting with accepting an invite from Professor James Barlow to share my experience of innovation in healthcare with his students, our collaboration has deepened over the years.
This lead me to help design and run an Executive Education course on Digital Transformation in Healthcare, for decision-makers, managers and innovators across the healthcare spectrum. The course builds technological understanding, identifies the barriers to innovation and implementation and introduces the means to overcome them. Most importantly it teaches the managerial mindset to embrace new ideas.
Together with Imperial and Corndel, we also run a Healthcare Leadership Development Executive Education programme, accessible under the Government’s Apprenticeship Levy, which provides senior leaders within the NHS with affordable access to management education, developing the strategic and systems thinking skills that drive organisational change, enhance the patient experience and improve healthcare delivery.
‘I am also a Board member at NHS organisations where I have the privilege of catalysing innovation from within. We are beginning to make progress, but more needs to be done.’
I have more than a professional interest in this. Fifteen years ago I was diagnosed with a rare inherited eye condition that led to progressive sight loss. This condition had affected several members of my extended family including myself.
I am fortunate. I have been able to experience some things that many with this condition have not, including the joy of driving which I used to love but can’t do anymore.
The progress of technology give me hope that I can continue working until my goal of a meaningful transformation of healthcare has been achieved, and that others can live better lives.
After all, that’s exactly what the healthcare sector is set up to do.
Loy Lobo is Non Executive Director for the Essex Partnership University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Programme Lead for the Digital Transformation in Healthcare, and the NHS Executive Development Programmes at Imperial College Business School’s Executive Education department.
HEALTHCARE’S PUSH FOR NET ZERO EMISSIONS: SUSTAINABLE IT WITHOUT COMPROMISING PERFORMANCE
BY GARY DAY, GROUP DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SECTOR, APOGEE CORPORATION
The drive for greater sustainability in healthcare often attracts headlines, especially in the NHS. Committed to reaching net-zero by 2040 for directly controlled emissions, NHS England has many initiatives to reduce waste and is seeking to extend the circular economy – recycling parts and materials where appropriate. In the private healthcare sector, similar emissions-reductions initiatives are underway.
Much attention is focused on waste-reduction in medical consumables and perhaps less on IT. The latter is frequently an area where sustainability plans run up against lack of budget and dependence on legacy technology.
Although digitalisation is sweeping through healthcare, there is still a need to print documents for backup and legally-required archiving. Meanwhile, many patients and senior clinicians still prefer working with paper - which is not an easy barrier to surmount.
SMARTER WORKING AND REDUCED PRINT
There are multiple angles from which to generate greater efficiency and sustainability in healthcare IT, however. The introduction of solutions such as intelligent process automation software helps alleviate the burdens of document management and reduce printing. Rather than replacing existing systems, it builds a bridge to further information digitisation. It facilitates implementation of solutions designed to boost collaboration, harden data protection and introduce sustainable work practices. Even the implementation of tap-and-release systems reduces unnecessary printing by requiring users to identify themselves first.
Automated indexing is another example. This transforms document-tracking and retrieval. It will transform costly and time-consuming medical archiving, which is complex and requires high levels of data-integrity, security and accessibility. Healthcare organisations can automate all these processes without loss of oversight and without compromising security.
REDUCING ELECTRONIC LANDFILL WASTE
Sustainability, however, is about more than reducing paper use and printing, important though that is. NHS and private healthcare organisations alike are certainly contributing to the millions of tonnes of electronic waste going into landfill. Globally, electronic waste is forecast to exceed 80 million tonnes annually by 2030.
The refurbishing of office equipment such as laptops and printers and their subsequent reuse is one significant way any healthcare organisation can help combat electronic waste. It is less costly than buying new, prolongs the life of devices and reduces the volume going to scrap.
A refurbished device does not add the emissions of manufacturing and delivery to organisations’ carbon footprints. While estimates of emissions relating to laptop production vary according to size of device and manufacturer, the energy involved is significant. But when laptops are refurbished by replacing the hard drive or motherboard, they remain sustainable.
The increased understanding of these factors has helped make IT recycling and refurbishment a global trend. The refurbished computers and laptops market in Europe is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 12% up to 2031 according to Transparency Market Research. The laptop segment of this market is expanding at a compound rate of 14%.
‘The increased understanding of these factors has helped make IT recycling and refurbishment a global trend’
THIRD-PARTIES CAN OFFER A ROUTE THROUGH THE GREEN MAZE
Healthcare IT buyers may run up against a desire for increased performance when replacing office equipment – especially laptops. It is worth them assessing whether staff are demanding highperforming devices if they can justify the cost. If they need guidance on this, certifications such as Blue Angel set out stringent standards for an extensive range of environmentally-friendly products and services.
Once it is established there is no need for superfast, all bells-and-whistles devices, IT buyers can take advantage of buy-back schemes run by approved suppliers which enable customers to replace sizeable one-off purchases with small operational costs.
This also enables IT departments to avoid the cost of third-party repair companies because technical support is included within the price of a managed IT service. Continuous support ensures all necessary updates are covered and data security is protected. Some schemes will buy back outdated devices such as printers and laptops and dispose of them responsibly. Devices are stripped and their parts recycled. Other viable approaches include “device-as-a-service” where sustainable, low-carbon IT is delivered without significant up-front capital outlay.
‘Some schemes will buy back outdated devices such as printers and laptops and dispose of them responsibly’
LOOKING AT SUPPLIERS’ CREDENTIALS
IT departments also need to examine the credentials of their suppliers. In the NHS, sustainable business practices cover managed service providers and suppliers, which should be delivering results. From the beginning of 2023, for example, all contracts worth more than £5m per annum have required contractors to publish a carbon reduction plan for UK Scope1 and 2 emissions, plus a subset of Scope 3. Scope 3 emissions are about 99% of the NHS’s total emissions, which is why there is such focus on suppliers that can meet the criteria.
Particularly as they come under close scrutiny over progress on cost reduction, all healthcare providers would benefit from IT procurement that gives them more options and offers a joined-up, multi-platform approach with more predictable costs and less waste. Certifications using third-party-verified lifecycle assessments give reassurance about total carbon emissions in products. Refurbished IT should conform to ISO14040 and ISO14044, for example.
Sustainable IT is a viable concept in healthcare and with some expert guidance and the right supplier, both NHS and private sectors can make genuinely large strides towards it without compromising care delivery or security.
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