SusQI Case Study: Hywel Dda Pathology Team, "Pathology Sample Transport"

SusQI project completed as part of the Hywel Dda University Health Board Green Team Competition from September 2022-January 2023.

There are four blood science laboratories in Hywel Dda University Health Board (HDUHB) which process most of the samples sent to them, however, there are some specialised or rarer tests that require analysis elsewhere. Some of these will be done within the health board, but at another hospital site, while others will be sent to specialist centres for analysis.  The routine transport between hospital sites for these tests produces 52.4 tonnes of carbon emissions, with 119,500 miles travelled per year.  

A review was conducted of the number of samples transported outside of routine health board transport between hospital sites.  The aim of this project was to reduce ad-hoc transport, saving money and reducing the environmental impact of unnecessary transport.  This project was the start of a longer, larger project looking at pathology sample transport in Hywel Dda University HB and beyond.

Click here for more information on the Green Team Competition (including organisation impact reports).