Swansea Bay UHB’s Cardiac ITU Team Wins Prestigious Sustainability Award
In a remarkable achievement, the Cardiac Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) team from Swansea Bay University Health Board (UHB), led by Carly McNeil, Senior Sister of cardiac ITU/HDU, has been honoured with the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery (SCTS) Sustainability in Cardiothoracic Surgery Award.
The award ceremony took place in Scotland in March 2025, recognising the team’s outstanding efforts in promoting sustainability within their unit.
The Cardiac ITU team, who graduated from the Spread & Scale Academy in November 2024, has implemented a series of innovative initiatives aimed at reducing their environmental impact while maintaining high standards of patient care. Their sustainability project has focused on various aspects, including waste management, electronic documentation, and rationalising the use of medical supplies.
Alongside Carly, Dr Sameena Ahmed, clinical lead intensivist of Cardiac ITU, and other key members of the team, including Dr Mike Gilbert, Mr Pankaj Kumar, and Ross Phillips, have played crucial roles in driving these initiatives forward.
Key initiatives introduced by the team include:
- Waste Management: The team audited general and clinical wastes, introduced appropriate waste management systems, and significantly reduced the use of large yellow waste bins, saving costs and reducing carbon emissions.
- Electronic Documentation: Implementing electronic prescribing and nursing notes to reduce paper waste and improve efficiency.
- Switch Off Campaign: Educating staff to switch off unused equipment, contributing to energy savings and reducing carbon footprint.
- Enhanced Recovery After Cardiac Surgery (ERACS): A policy to enhance patient recovery time and reduce hospital stay, leading to substantial cost savings and environmental benefits.
The team’s efforts have resulted in impressive outcomes, including significant cost savings, reduction in waste, and lower carbon emissions. Their achievements have been shared with other departments and hospitals, fostering a collaborative approach to sustainability across NHS Wales.
The Cardiac ITU team has achieved annual cost savings of approximately £2,113,609 and a reduction of 211,765 kg of CO2. These figures were calculated through various initiatives such as reducing the use of large yellow waste bins (£5,055.96 per year and 4,106 kg CO2), rationalising blood tests for cardiac, thoracic, and PACU patients (£66,411 and 2,909 kg CO2), and implementing the ERACS protocol (£2,033,689 and 204,750 kg CO2).
Ruth Jordan, programme director of the Dragon’s Heart Institute, said “The Cardiac ITU team’s success at the SCTS Sustainability in Cardiothoracic Surgery Award is a testament to their dedication and innovative approach to the spread and scale of sustainable practices. Their work not only benefits the environment but also sets a benchmark for other healthcare units to follow.
“Congratulations to Carly McNeil and the entire Cardiac ITU team for their well-deserved recognition and for leading the way in sustainable healthcare practices.”
Visit our Spread & Scale webpage for more information and to apply to the next academy.
