We are living in an increasingly eco-conscious world. Although every sector will be feeling the heat in regard to reducing the impact of global warming, the health sector is especially proactive. Advocating for the health of the planet, as well as patients, is a higher priority than ever.

DDC Dolphin can help to ensure that your sluice room and wider infection control strategy will help to protect the environment, promote good health and even preserve your budget.

Sir Simon Stevens, NHS Chief Executive, states that:

“While the NHS is already a world leader in sustainability, as the biggest employer in this country and comprising nearly a tenth of the UK economy, we’re both a part of the problem and part of the solution.

“Indeed, if health services across the world were their own country, they’d be the fifth-largest emitter on the planet.”

This acknowledgement of the NHS’ contribution to harmful emissions has led to the creation of The Greener NHS programme. By working closely with staff, hospitals and partners, the programme intends to shrink the sizeable carbon footprint of the NHS by sharing ideas to:

Reduce the impact on public health and the environment
Save money
Reach net carbon zero.

With these goals in mind, the NHS will continue to be a leader not just in world health, but the health of our world.

Medics with trolley in corridor

Maintaining ecological balance is a massive task. However, no individual is too small to make a difference.

Whether it’s encouraging your nursing team to use refillable water bottles or remembering to turn off lights and equipment, there’s a host of ways that every single person in the NHS can make a small difference to a big issue.

However, making a difference on a large scale is much harder. After all, medical advancement relies on new, innovative technology. Won’t all this electricity-guzzling hardware cancel out any small, personal gains?

In actual fact, the latest innovations are smart enough to address both concerns. By researching your equipment carefully, you can purchase capital equipment that is not only staggeringly effective but kind to the planet, too – often far more so than your incumbent solution.

Better yet, the solutions which use less energy are often far cheaper to run and maintain, too.

So, where do you start?

In the wake of a pandemic, bolstering your sluice room with infection control technology that is also environmentally friendly is nothing short of a win-win.

Sustainable sluice room considerations

When upgrading your sluice room equipment, there are five key elements that can dramatically impact your contribution to a greener NHS – as well as protecting your budget.

You should consider:

Will this solution reduce water usage?
Will this solution reduce electricity usage?
Will this solution require outsourced maintenance – and if so, how far will they need to travel?
Will this solution reduce the volume of waste produced by your facility?
Will this solution help to improve clinical outcomes, thus reducing prolonged care and the output associated with this?

Ecoplus slim

A single sluice machine for every ecological value

The Pulpmatic Eco+ macerator is a truly green machine that will help you to manage waste in a sustainable, efficient and highly controlled way.

So, what can an Eco+ do that many solutions cannot?

Firstly, the Eco+ uses very little water or electricity to operate – as much as 50% less than a conventional macerator, in fact. Aside from the clear benefit to your carbon footprint, this also has a pleasing impact on utility costs.

In addition, purchasing an Eco+ macerator from DDC Dolphin will allow you to benefit from exceptional planned, preventative maintenance packages (but don’t worry – DDC Dolphin can service and repair all of your sluice room machinery, no matter who made them).

DDC Dolphin have direct-employed engineers all over the country, ensuring speedy maintenance, precisely when you need it. This also means that your engineers won’t need to travel cross-country to reach you, ensuring that this partnership won’t create needless emissions.

When you opt for a care and maintenance package like 360° Care, you can avoid unplanned maintenance costs and actively mitigate breakdowns before they develop (avoiding preventable journeys to your facility – as well as inconvenience and infection control risk).

With proper maintenance, you can also expect your machine to have a far longer service life, thus avoiding the premature disposal of capital equipment and sending it to landfill.

Better yet, the purchase of your new, ecological macerator is included in your monthly payments - ensuring that it really won’t cost the earth.

Maintenance slim

Healthy patients for a healthy planet

On average, each occupied hospital bed costs around £222 a day. In addition, each bed can expect to generate around 29 pounds of waste. Of course, in high-dependency or complex care environments, the cost can be far higher.

It’s in everyone’s best interest if your patients recover quickly and stay well, ensuring efficient discharge and minimised re-admission.

It’s quite obvious, therefore, that healthcare-acquired infections – which are both entirely preventable and devastating to a planned recovery – are a major threat to wellbeing, budgets and the environment.

To keep your patients, budgets and the planet healthy, you need to consider the best infection control technology that you can obtain. It will truly pay for itself.

The Eco+ is equipped with state-of-the-art infection control benefits, including:

MicrobeSafe+ antimicrobial technology in polymer surfaces – an antimicrobial and antifungal additive which stops the growth of harmful bacteria
Completely hands-free, no-touch operation – with an easy access hand sensor, reducing the risk of infections spreading to clinicians and further patients
The continuous, free-flowing output of waste to drain – ensuring thorough removal of waste
Infection Mode, where chemical dosing levels can be used during outbreaks.

The unique innovations of the Eco+ are a breakthrough in maceration technology, ideal for any facility wishing to improve infection control and their commitment to a greener future.