To improve the reuse and recycling of walking aids across the trust

Project completed as part of the 2024 Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Green Team Competition.

Team members:

• Melanie Broach, MSK Therapy Team Lead RHCH
• Kathryn Cartwright, MSK Therapy Team Lead BNHH

Setting / patent group:  

• Staff issuing / patient receiving mobility aids across all sites

Issue:

Walking aids have historically been treated as single use items, and after their use a patient was not required to return the devices (e.g. elbow crutches, frames, and sticks) to trusts. In NHS England’s 2020 report committing to ‘Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ National Health Service’, walking aid refurbishment schemes were specifically mentioned. Successfully refurbishing a walking aid produces 87% less carbon emissions than purchasing a new one.

Reuse and recycling of these devices has been in place at HHFT for a few years. However, it is evident that staff and patients are often unaware that returning mobility aids is an option.

Staff in therapy departments (the largest purchaser of mobility aids) are best placed to drive the return, reuse, and recycling of these devices to improve HHFT’s carbon footprint and align with the trust’s sustainability plan. The team hoped to increase refurbishment by 40% in line with NHS England’s stated goal.

Intervention:

The team started by issuing a survey to staff to assess their understanding of the returns process, including whether they were even aware that returning devices was possible. The survey revealed a set of barriers to returning devices consistently, including the absence of a clear process, varied advice being given to patients, and a lack of a set assurance process for the quality and safety of returned devices. It was also raised that a designated, accessible, returns location would be beneficial, along with a standardised process for logging issue and returns of devices.

A baseline for assessing impact was developed based on the Basingstoke sites log of returned devices, as this was the only site with a standardised recording process. Further data was gathered from trust procurement to measure annual spend on mobility aids.

A process map was developed which identified the necessary interventions: creation of a log for issued and returned aids; information sheets provided via QR code on how to return devices; a designated returns location at the entrance to each site; and, rolling out training on the cleaning of devices for relevant staff.

Outcomes:

• Environmental
  • 107 kgCO2e per year, the equivalent to driving 315 miles
• Social
  • Staff and patient satisfaction increase due to positive impact of contributing towards sustainable outcomes
• Clinical
  • Increased availability of aids preventing delays in providing patients with suitable aids
  • A consistent process minimising risk
  • Further equipment can be purchased with saved budget
• Financial
  • A 10% reduction in procurement of aids thanks to returns will save £6844.88 per year

Key learning point:

Communicating with stakeholders was key to the success of this project, ensuring that any changes are suitable for all to have longer term effects. Ensuring the return points were well signposted and located in an accessible area was also important.