Sustainability conference aims to make healthcare greener

The Royal College of Nursing has staged its first Sustainability in Nursing Conference.

The event enabled nursing staff across the UK and Ireland to learn about the latest evidence on the impact of sustainability, and how health and care delivery can contribute to tackling climate change.

It also provided insight into global nursing and midwifery sustainability developments and a virtual Dragons’ Den-style competition which showcased nursing-led innovations that would have a positive environmental impact on health and care service delivery and patient care.

The candidates’ ideas to help health care “get more green” included providing district nurses with electric cars to reduce their carbon footprint as they drive to visit patients.

Another proposed bringing more flowers and plants into care homes to improve the residents’ quality of life.

The judges praised the competitors’ ideas, saying they showed nursing staff are innovative and pragmatic, and advocate for their patients and the planet.

The winning idea was a digital decision support tool, which shows the carbon footprint of different health care supplies.

This will help staff find out where clinical products and medical devices are made, and whether they are single or multiple use.

Panel judge Bernadette Porter, an entrepreneur and former nurse, said: “Nursing staff are naturally creative and innovative.

“They can improve patient care and staff experience with more green and sustainable ideas, as they are at the cutting-edge of this line of work.

“The conference was a really important event. It’s been a chance for nurses and midwives to showcase how their ideas can prioritise inventions which simultaneously improve patient care and community wellbeing – while tackling climate change and broader sustainability issues.”

Rose Gallagher MBE, RCN nursing sustainability lead, added: “The conference highlighted what needs to change in providing health care with the ongoing pressure of trying to adapt to a more sustainable and eco-friendly health care provision, not just in the UK, but globally.

“Nursing staff can be instrumental in being catalysts for environmental change by widening their knowledge on sustainability.”

The event was the first ever five-nations nursing and midwifery sustainability event organised in partnership with the RCN group, NHS England and the UK/Republic of Ireland Chief Nursing Officer group.

The winning contestant received £1,600 to further develop their sustainability project, while the runner-up will get a coaching session with a sustainability expert and nurse.