SusQI case study - Reducing paper usage in the Research & Innovation Team

We participated in the Northampton Green Team Competition 2022 and decided as a department to look at our paper usage. 

Over a 7 month period the Research Team printed nearly 120,000 sheets of paper (an average of 17,000 pages per month).  We therefore started a project to find ways of reducing the number of pages we printed to see if we could reduce our paper and ink usage and become more environmentaly aware as a department.

After carrying out an audit of what we printed, we devised ways to reduce our printing to help reduce our paper usage.  We immediately changed from premium paper to recycled paper.

Over a one month period we held mini workshops for all members of the Research Team to teach digital skills. This included Excel training to create patient visit schedules, PDF training to learn how to search and add comments to documents without the need to print lengthy protocols and manuals, digital signature training, One Note training and set up daily shortcut hints for all computer applications.

We also devised a pro forma to type and upload clinical reviews to electronic patient records.

In doing all of the above we became more organised, saved time, saved money and above all reduced our CO2 emissions by reducing our printing by 50% (8,000 pages in a month).

Northamptonshire Green Team Competition saves 53,221 kgC02e | Centre for Sustainable Healthcare

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