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<p>As set out in the Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ National Health Service report, published
in October 2020, the NHS is committed to reducing its environmental impact, including
by cutting its carbon emissions and increasing the reuse and recycling of medical
equipment. This commitment is then applied locally, considering local priorities,
through local Green Plans. NHS England also collaborates with NHS Supply Chain to
increase availability of reusable products and supports local NHS organisations through
the publication of guidance and resources to help with implementing changes.</p><p>As
an example, the NHS has set out ambitions to expand existing walking aid refurbishment
schemes. Arrangements for the return and reuse of walking aids are managed locally,
to be adapted to the local context, and several NHS trusts already have local return
and reuse schemes with over 200 return sites now featured on the Recycle Now website.</p><p>NHS
England is supporting local NHS organisations to increase walking aid return rates,
with initiatives including running a national walking aid return campaign as part
of recycling week between 16 and 22 October 2023; providing guidance to trusts on
setting up or enhancing reuse schemes and planning communication activities; providing
visual material to help communicate locally about the schemes in a consistent way;
and directly supporting trusts with their pilot schemes.</p><p>Regarding further equipment
types, improving resource efficiency forms a key part of the Government’s Medical
Technology Strategy, published in February 2023, where we are working with industry,
the health and care sector, and academic partners to improve the extent to which we
reuse, remanufacture, and recycle many different medical equipment types.</p><p>Currently,
the Department do not hold centralised data on the proportion of all used medical
equipment that is recycled.</p>
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