Reusable scissors in inpatient wards

Project completed as part of the 2025 Hampshire Hospitals Green Team Competition. 

Team members

• Mark Badham, Clinical Matron.

Setting / patient group: 

26 bedded medical ward.

Issue:

Single-use scissors are widely used across clinical settings for tasks ranging from dressing changes to cutting oxygen tubing. While designed for convenience and sterility, their frequent disposal after minimal use contributes significantly to clinical waste, environmental impact, and financial cost. Many are poorly manufactured and not fit for purpose, leading to multiple pairs being discarded during procedures.  Procurement variations and a lack of understanding of usage or alternatives compound this problem.  

A review conducted on a general medical ward revealed usage of over 600 pairs in one year, costing £72.26, with additional disposal costs. It highlighted the need for improved procurement practices, staff awareness, and consideration of reusable options to reduce carbon footprint and achieve cost savings across the NHS.

Aim:

To replace single use with reusable scissors in Freshfield ward and replace with suitable alternative re-useable scissors.  This would reduce waste and act as a cost-saving measure.

Intervention: 

Stakeholder Engagement and System Review

Key stakeholders, including clinical staff, stores, IPC, and estates were engaged to assess practical needs, costs, cleaning protocols, risks and implementation feasibility. Initial observations and a staff survey revealed that 88% felt discarding scissors was wasteful and 68% believed they could be recycled.  88% supported reusable alternatives and 57% believed cleaning or reuse was possible.

Reusable Option Evaluation

A reusable scissor was sourced (£1.63 via NHSSC). Though more expensive upfront, long-term savings are expected. IPC confirmed that for non-invasive tasks (e.g. cutting wrist bands and oxygen tubing), cleaning with Clinell wipes is sufficient. Scissors exposed to body fluids or used on infected patients require sterilisation via Theatre Sterile Services Unit and a new standard operating policy is being written. Where sterile scissors are mandated, proper sterilisation and storage remain essential.

Outcomes:

• Clinical and population outcomes: There was no negative impact on patient or population clinical health outcomes or care.
• Environmental Outcomes
  • A yearly saving of 78kgCO₂e, based on 640 pairs of scissors used per year on the ward, with 90% cleaned at a ward level and 10% through sterile services.  This is the equivalent of driving 221 miles in an average car
  • If implemented trust-wide, 23, 410 pairs of single use scissors could be replaced with reusable scissors and save 2,837 kgCO₂e per year.  The equivalent to driving 8,704 miles in an average car
• Financial Outcomes
  • Freshfield Ward is projected to save £98.90 in the first year by switching to reusable scissors, with annual savings increasing to £115 due to their 5-year lifespan
  • Scaling this change Trust-wide and replacing 23,410 single-use pairs annually, could result in savings of over £20,000 across five years, with each ward requiring only 10 reusable pairs at a cost of £16.30.
• Social Outcomes
  • Survey responses and informal discussions indicate strong support for switching to reusable scissors. Staff expressed concern over the environmental impact of single-use items and showed willingness to adopt sustainable practices that also offer potential cost savings.

Key learning point 

This project has provided valuable insights into reducing the organisation’s carbon footprint and costs. Changing to reusable scissors would result in carbon and financial reductions, with negligible staff training requirements and logistical input.

Collaboration across teams, particularly sustainability leads, and procurement was key to its success. The need to engage with sterile services, who have the capacity to undertake the required cleaning is essential and a sterilisation SOP requires finalising.  Staff showed strong engagement in driving change. A major learning was the importance of persistence and involving passionate individuals. 

The project will be rolled out across all clinical areas, replacing single-use scissors with reusable ones. Procurement will support the transition, and the SOP will be shared organisation wide. The rollout will be led by the sustainability lead nurse, with support from the chief nurse.

The team is now exploring further sustainability initiatives, including reducing waste in catheter packs and safely minimising PPE use with the Infection Prevention team.