Reusable medical products in the NHS: adoption, barriers, and enablers

The NHS produces 156,000 tonnes of clinical waste per year in England alone, a figure that is significantly heightened by single-use medical products. The Design for Life Roadmap is a plan to create a “circular economy for medical technology,” through which products are reused, remanufactured, or recycled, in turn realising financial and carbon savings.

CSH’s new report, commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care’s Design for Life programme and delivered in partnership with Brighton and Sussex Medical School and their Green Healthcare Hub, evaluated the adoption of a range of reusable medical products across several NHS trusts, including blood pressure cuffs, bronchoscopes, and slide sheets.

A key aim of the project was to understand the underlying processes, barriers, and enablers of this type of change. Environmental, financial, and social outcomes (including staff satisfaction, patient experience, and safety) were evaluated using quantitative and qualitative methods.