Alfred Health News

While patient care remains core to everything we do at Alfred Health, sustainability is an area we are quietly continuing to improve.

Over the coming months we will begin reporting on the activities of the Alfred Health Sustainability Committee, and sharing ideas about environmental stewardship.

One group that is already reducing the impact that their work has on the environment is The Green Team in The Alfred’s intensive care unit.

The Green Team was established two years ago by staff with a passion for sustainability and waste reduction.  

The 30-member team, that meets monthly, includes nurses, doctors, spotless staff, educators, ward clerks, cleaners and nurse managers.

ICU nurse and group lead, Duane Miller said the group was focused on achieving a cultural change in the unit within five years, rather than a quick fix.

“In health care, a lot of what we do has to be single-use, but we are trying to do the best we can and green up our practice,” Mr Miller said.

“One of the first things we did was stop using styrofoam cups in the tea room. We were going through more than 2,000 cups a week, or 100,000 each year.  We’ve replaced them with reusable items such as keep cups, water bottles and mugs.”

Achievements of The Green Team
·        Coordinating waste and sustainability-focused awareness weeks each year
·        Successful introduction of recycling bins within the unit
·        Introducing recycling bins into patient cubicles
·        Coordination a “Trash Talk” staff newsletter
·        Placing waste management signage around the ward
·        Reduced clinical waste by roughly half through education on correct separation
·        Sending expired and redundant consumables to charities

Environmental stewardship is something we can all practice.  Over the coming months we will be seeking ideas from staff, so chat with your colleagues about small changes that promise to improve our environmental footprint while maintaining high quality and safe care.