Hundreds of thousands of pounds and large emissions saved by NHS Trust in Essex this year
An NHS Trust in Essex has been saving paper this year
An NHS Trust in Essex has reduced its paper usage this year, leading to large emissions being cut, and hundreds of thousands of pounds being saved.
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust has saved £223,000 and over 12,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide, contributing to the NHS's national climate targets.
Its as the government wants the NHS to be carbon neutral by 2040.
The Trust has been using a new digital app, which is reducing the amount of paper being used for items like leaflets, which are now available online.
Nearly 380 leaflets are available on the app, reducing the thousands of sheets of paper which are no longer being printed.
They are still available physically for those that can't access digital technology.
There has been 70% engagement with the app, out of the 17,000 registered accounts, over the last three month.
Becky Jones, the Trust’s Head of Sustainability, said: “Reducing our carbon footprint is one of our key strategies in being more sustainable. It is an important part of our 10-year strategy and in delivering our priorities as set out in our Green Plan. It also fits with the reduction of unnecessary waste and helps reduce costs in printing.”
Leslie Golding, CEO of Diligram Limited, the developer behind MyStaff, said: “With healthcare in England responsible for 4-5% of the UK’s total emissions and 40% of public sector emissions, the NHS is uniquely influential in national climate action. We’ve seen what is possible in Essex, with green shoots already emerging.”
Alex Hieatt, Emergency Department Lead Consultant at the Trust, said: “The MyStaff app is an extremely easy to use resource that allows our clinicians to give patients the right information in a quick and efficient way. This saves clinical time, reduces waste, improves patient satisfaction and patient safety and reduces re-attendance. A real win-win for all.”