Waste stories 10/10/2014

 

Healthcare

1.The Regulatory Position Statement (RPS160): a case study of Addenbrookes Hospital

RPS (160) relates to the onsite sterilisation of single use instruments, which can then be sent for metal recovery.

“Adoption of the approach has meant that we capture the single use instruments at point of source, send to our onsite CSSD Dept for decontamination, hold in a secure stillage, and then send for recycling via our scrap metal merchants, which earns us >£650 per tonne as the instruments are stainless steel. The implications are 3 fold for us; reduced weight in sharps bins, stopping a waste commodity from end of use disposal in the bottom ash, reduced cost and tonnage of bottom ash disposal as well as earning an income”.
 
Read the RPS here: RPS 160
If you wish to get more information about the case study or the RPS in general, please contact Vicki Sawford:
victoria.sawford@addenbrookes.nhs.uk

2.NHS finances – pressures, deficits and challenges

A growing population and increasing demands on the NHS are trends which are thrown into sharper relief month by month. The financial consequences are laid bare in a new report by the regulator Monitor, which oversees the work of flagship health trusts in England with greater freedom to manage their affairs. For the first time the foundation trusts have chalked up an overall quarterly deficit…

Read the stories here: NHS finance challenges and NHS finances worsening

3.EU healthcare waste project

Even though healthcare waste is very heavily regulated across Europe there is a considerable range of levels of waste management depending on national strategy and infrastructure. This project is seen as an opportunity to improve the skills of the existing workforce as well as training people in the appropriate skills prior to them entering the sector. The aim of this EU funded project under the LDV Grant is to develop an EU Standardised Approach to Vocational Educational Training Awards in Healthcare Waste Management.

Read about the project here: EU-HCWM

4. Free NHS premises and facilities management procurement workshop

WRAP working in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) invites NHS Procurement, Estates and Sustainability professionals to attend a practical workshop to learn more about opportunities to deliver resource efficiency and cost savings through improved service delivery and procurement.  This workshop is free of charge and will cover:

  • Opportunities for resource and cost savings in premises and service delivery
  • Catering and food services in the NHS
  • Energy excellence – when to refurbish, when to replace, when to change behaviours
  • Introduction to WRAP FM guidance and resources to support service procurement
  • Appropriate clauses in tenders and contracts to deliver cost and environmental savings, with examples of use in practice
  • Working with service providers to deliver against efficiency and environmental drivers
  • Data management and KPIs – improving monitoring and measurement to ensure environmental and associated cost savings can be delivered through contracts
  • Quantifying cost and environmental savings.

Read about the event here: WRAP NHS event

5. CIWM looking for experienced waste trainers

CIWM is looking for experienced waste trainers to join its assocaite team. They are especially looking for trainers to deliver their ‘Waste legislation’ and ‘Duty of care’ courses, as well as a soon to be launched course on ‘Implementing a waste audit’. Anyone interested should submit their full CV, indicating areas of specialist/subject expertise and training experience, along with your training rate. Information should be sent to rebecca.penberthy@ciwm.co.uk.