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Projects

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) was formed on 1 April 2020 following the merger of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and Weston Area Health NHS Trust.

The information on this page is historic. Visit the UHBW About us pages for the latest information. 

Some of the work UH Bristol has already been doing to be more sustainable includes:

  • Reducing use of desflurane, an anaesthetic gas which has a much greater environmental impact than alternative anaesthetics;
  • Reducing car journeys via lift-share, walking and cycle-to-work schemes for staff;
  • Improvements to lighting and heating to reduce carbon emissions;
  • Electric bikes are used by the Early Supported Discharged Team at South Bristol Community Hospital to visit stroke patients across the city and into North Somerset at home to provide therapy for suitable patients at home.
  • A number of measures to reduce, reuse and recycle plastics including:

Reducing…

- Gloves - trialling an education programme to reduce the overuse of gloves in a clinical setting.

- In Catering we have:

  • Stopped buying plastic straws.
  • Replaced plastic cutlery and stirrers with wooden equivalent (beech).
  • The three Brewnels coffee outlets with seating that the Trust runs are using crockery instead of disposables.

- Discount is offered at all Brewnel's when using your own/bought reusable cup.
- Audit of all Trust water stations to make sure they are mains fed and not bottle fed; signs encouraging people to refill their bottles, not buy bottled water; and sites to be added to the Refill Bristol website.

Reusing...

- Working with partners to reuse as much office furniture as possible whether we give them unwanted furniture, saving on the environmental and financial costs of disposal - or they give us furniture, saving us procuring new items.

Recycling...

- Introducing recycling bins into public areas.
- Trust owned cafes - Brewnel's:

  • Food containers changed from polystyrene to recyclable material.
  • Takeaway cup lids are recyclable.

- Working with partners to recycle various plastic clinical waste items.

  • The Trust has two electric vans which are used for deliveries to hospitals around the main Bristol Royal Infirmary city centre campus. The vans, which have been in place for five years, are also used to make deliveries from the hospitals to GP practices.
  • Staff are able to make use of an allotment on the Trust's city centre campus. Lots of vegetables and fruit have been growing including potatoes, carrots, beans, tomatoes and courgettes. Each month the Trust holds a lunchtime allotment meeting where staff can find out more about the vegetables growing. Incredible Edible Bristol has also installed new planters outside two of the Trust's buildings on the city centre campus. People are encouraged to harvest the produce for free or do a bit of weeding and watering.
  • Spending time in nature can have a positive impact on physical and mental health and the Trust promotes greenspaces across its city centre campus to support the wellbeing of our patients, visitors and staff. A greenspaces map is also available for people to use. The greenspaces include numerous gardens and courtyards adjacent to each of the city centre hospitals.
  • We encourage staff to get involved in activities and events throughout the year as part of the Green Impact Engagement scheme. The scheme provides innovative ways for staff to get involved in sustainability in the workplace and celebrating those that did with a joint awards ceremony.

For further information about sustainable healthcare at UH Bristol please contact sustainability@uhbw.nhs.uk.