Paperless clinic and kits to reduce medicine waste winners at NHS awards

Healthcare professionals have been awarded for their successes in making NHS services more environmentally friendly at the Welsh Sustainability awards 2024.

The Chief Nursing Officer’s Sustainability in Nursing and Midwifery award - a new addition to the categories this year - was presented to Swansea Bay University Health Board for reducing the use of paper in its district nursing service and going paperless in its community wound clinic.

The team introduced the Minuteful for Wound app, which allows nurses and specialists to remotely view wounds. It has enabled the team to digitize patient records, assessments and care plans, saving almost 450,000 sheets of paper per year.

The KidzMedz Cymru project, by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, won the Prosperous Wales award for its work to reduce liquid medicine waste.
Issues such as taste, and the shorter shelf-life of liquid medicines can contribute to wastage.

The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board team created educational kits to help teach children and young people how to swallow tablets and capsules, which are more palatable than liquids and have a lower carbon footprint.

They have reduced the number of liquid medicines dispensed, with some patients switching to a solid medicine.

Chief Nursing Officer for Wales, Sue Tranka said:

The dedication and innovation shown by all the Welsh Sustainability award entrants is truly inspiring.

Your commitment to sustainable healthcare practice is commendable and sets a remarkable example for the entire healthcare community.

Thank you for your outstanding contributions towards a more sustainable future for healthcare in Wales, and congratulations to the winners.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Eluned Morgan said:

Congratulations to all the winners at the Welsh Sustainability awards this year!

Your efforts are instrumental in shaping a more sustainable and resilient healthcare system for generations to come, and for the benefit of all in Wales. The breadth and variation of innovative projects honoured at the awards is a clear reflection of the talent we have in our workforce.

Well done on this well-deserved recognition and you should all be very proud of yourselves.

This year’s winners are:

·        the CNO's Sustainability in Nursing and Midwifery award: Swansea Bay University Health Board

·        the Spread and Scale award: Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

·        the Sustainable Champion award: Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

·        the Cohesive Communities Wales award: Powys Teaching Health Board

·        the More Equal Wales award: Prince Charles Hospital

·        the Culture and Language Wales award: Hywel Dda University Health Board

·        the Prosperous Wales award: Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

·        the Resilient Wales award: Swansea Bay University Health Board

·        the Healthier Wales award: Primary Care Division, Public Health Wales

·        the Globally Responsible Wales award: Cardiff and Vale University Health Board