Climate change will affect NHS purchasing decisions

In a round table discussion at Wythenshawe Hospital, the chair of the University of South Manchester Foundation Trust, Jeff Wilner, told an audience of procurement officers that energy conservation and waste recycling were becoming increasingly important issues when hospitals were deciding on which medical equipment to purchase.

The conference, organised by endoscopy cleaning solution provider Sterilox, was aimed at examining the financial pressures hospitals faced and the impact that target setting has on the standard of medical equipment being purchased.

Marcus Raphael, international marketing director of Sterilox endoscopy said: “Climate change is altering the decision making process within the NHS. Our sterilisation solution is 100% environmentally friendly which puts us at a great advantage compared to some of our market competitors. I believe we will see the Government introduce environmental guidelines in the next five to 10 years to ensure that the NHS meets its CO2 targets laid out in the EU emissions trading scheme.”

Simon Walsh from the North West Collaborative Procurement Hub told the audience that the environment is an issue that NHS procurers are already talking about “The number one priority for hospitals is patient care. That means providing hospital staff with the best equipment at the right price. Climate change, however, means that private suppliers must also provide cost effective and environmentally friendly products if they want to stand out from the competition.”