Northwick Park Hospital is tackling glove waste to cut costs and increase sustainability

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, responsible for Northwick Park Hospital, is implementing a new initiative to reduce the use of gloves across its departments, with the aim of cutting costs and reducing impact on the environment.

This measure is part of a wider NHS campaign promoting more sustainable healthcare practices.

The NHS uses more than 1.4 billion gloves every year, many of which are for non-essential tasks such as patient care activities that do not pose a risk of infection.

The campaign, which started in London at Great Ormond Street Hospital, has already achieved significant success, saving 21 tonnes of plastic in its first year.

This initiative is now active in six wards at Ealing and Northwick Park hospitals, including their intensive care units. Both hospitals are part of the trust which provides comprehensive hospital and community services to around one million residents in Harrow, Brent and Ealing.

Established in 2014, the trust employs approximately 9,000 clinical and support staff. In addition to Northwick Park and Ealing hospitals, it also manages St Mark’s and Central Middlesex hospitals, providing essential healthcare services across the three boroughs.