Paper is out and digital is in for one NHS trust that is proving that small changes can deliver big benefits. The Government wants the NHS to be carbon neutral by 2040 and Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which serves more than 1.2 million people, has already taken bold steps using MyStaff app – a digital platform that’s cutting waste, saving money and slashing emissions.
This year alone MyStaff has saved the Trust £223,030, with a recurring annual benefit of £173,000. It has also removed 12,450 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent from the atmosphere. That’s a measurable contribution to the NHS’s national climate targets.
In part, it’s been done by replacing printed patient information leaflets (PILs) with digital versions. Traditionally these were printed in huge volumes, but now, with nearly 380 leaflets available on the app, thousands of sheets of paper are no longer being printed.
Printed leaflets can end up lost, discarded or unread. But now patients receive their information electronically via QR code or email. The impact is clear: a £47,903 recurring saving in external printing costs and 9,283 kilograms of paper waste eliminated each year.
An additional £931 worth of electricity used by laser printers has been removed. There are also additional savings, such as emissions saved by reduced delivery journeys.
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 10year 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.”
The Trust, which has hospitals in Broomfield, Basildon and Southend has seen the benefits go beyond sustainability, with patient experience improving as well. More than 10,000 digital PILs have been downloaded this year. The maternity department leads the way with 2,026 leaflets downloaded, followed by nursing governance and education (1,328), urgent and emergency care (998), and paediatrics (939). Patients now have instant access to accurate, uptodate information – and they’re less likely to lose it.
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.”
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.”
There has been 70% engagement with the app, out of the 17,000 registered accounts, over the last three month.
