"How can we involve clinical departments in our Climate Week?" wondered the team at Whittington Hospital, which has been setting up a series of green events for 12-16 March 2012. The answer: a Green Ward Competition. Five clinical areas - including theatres - are competing for a £500 cash prize to be awarded for the best carbon reduction project.
So last week saw me travelling up to meet with green champions from areas as diverse as a children's ward, the operating theatres and clinical laboratories. My job was to get their carbon antennae going - understanding how carbon emissions link to resource flows in their daily activities, and spotting opportunities for savings.
We discussed how the biggest savings can be made through redesigning patient care, or by streamlining day-to-day processes such as drug administration or processing of laboratory samples. At the same time, we were mindful that the competition is taking place over just one month, so the teams needed to find a change that could be made swiftly and show real results.
Wards stand to win a £500 prize which they can spend in any way they want to reduce carbon. All the teams are also being invited to a climate lecture and drinks reception hosted by Dr David Pencheon, Director of the NHS Sustainable Development Unit.
Success will be judged by the Trust's Deputy CEO, Siobhan Harrington, and Professor Hugh Montgomery (ICU Consultant) and will take place on NHS Sustainability Day - 28th March 2012.
Professor Montgomery said, "With rising fuel costs, an NHS budget deficit of £20bn, and Climate Change, there has never been a better time to ‘make the Whittington Greener’. And we need their help! We just KNOW that clinical staff have great ideas for action- so we want to help them… and also give them the chance to win a substantial prize!"
Keep an eye out for the final results of the competition - we'll post them on the CSH site as soon as they are available.
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