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Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 28 May

May 28, 2021

Hello, colleagues

Take a look at the photographs above…. ask yourself – “what do I see here? Is this appropriate?”

These are appalling examples of inappropriate, unprofessional and thoughtless abuse of expensive infectious waste disposal bags and the disposal of used hospital linen – an expensive and finite resource. This practice, if one can call it that, happens in our own Trust.

Waste is generated by all of us, at work and at home. But it seems that, all too often, we give less thought to waste disposal at work than we do in our own home environments. In the majority of cases, what we see is colleagues using the nearest bin if we are lucky. Little thought is given as to whether the appropriate route for disposal is being used. I know our multiple waste streams can occasionally be confusing and COVID hasn’t helped the situation. But it would be hugely helpful if we could make things a little simpler. Let’s keep packaging, plastics and general waste out of our orange bags. Let’s reduce the new prominent litter in our hospital streets and our high streets, namely PPE (gloves and masks).

The following behaviour is not professional. It isn’t in line with our values and it is not what I expect from myself, or my colleagues. We can only change our own behaviour. It is us which will set the tone. So let’s please eradicate the following. Change your practice today:

  • Waste bags discarded on top of empty waste bins
  • Cross contamination risks with bags piled on top of each other on the floor
  • Linen and waste on the same linen trolleys
  • Linen/scrubs being thrown in to orange bags and destroyed
  • Bins with the wrong coloured bags being placed in them.
  • Dangerous sharps being disposed of into cardboard boxes
  • Cardboard not being broken down. (Fire Risk)
  • Patients property being put into orange bags and subsequently destroyed.
  • Poor segregation.
  • Inappropriate disposal, domestic waste in orange bags
  • Pharmacy waste placed in orange bags

Thank you for your help. Have a good weekend

Richard