Written questions by Asato.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure the use of (a) reusable and (b) otherwise sustainable medical garments within the NHS.

The National Health Service has committed to reaching net zero by 2045 for the emissions it influences through the goods and services it buys from its partners and suppliers. This includes a greater focus on procuring and using sustainable and reusable medical garments where this is safe and effective, such as reusable sterile gowns.To support this, NHS England is working with NHS organisations to share best practice and evidence-based approaches, understand operational challenges, for example, requirements for laundry infrastructure, and support the inclusion of lots to procure reusable medical textile services within relevant procurement frameworks. NHS England supported the Royal Surgical Colleges to develop and promote the Green Theatre Checklist to encourage sustainable theatre approaches, including medical garments. The checklist is available at the following link:https://www.rcsed.ac.uk/professional-support-development-resources/environmental-sustainability-and-surgery/green-theatre-checklistNHS England is also supporting innovation through the Small Business Research Initiative Healthcare programme, which has funded a project to support reuse of surgical textiles. More information is available at the following link:https://sbrihealthcare.co.uk/impact-case-studies/case-studies/revolution-zeroThe Department continues to work closely with the Greener NHS programme in NHS England to support the NHS to meet its net zero targets, including a focus on procuring and using sustainable and reusable products where this is safe and effective.

Whether his Department plans to publish a strategy on promoting a circular economy in medical textiles, including targets for the elimination of post-consumer plastic waste.

The Department’s Design for Life Programme is dedicated to the exploration and delivery of a circular economy for medical devices, including consumables, through greater reuse, remanufacture, and recycling. Its work includes exploring regulatory, commercial, digital, policy, and research environments that support delaying products becoming waste for as long as possible. This includes working closely with the MedTech industry to determine sustainable ways of manufacture and reducing waste. More details on the Design for Life programme will be published shortly.The NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap sets out the steps suppliers must take to align with the National Health Services’ net zero ambition between now and 2030. NHS England will continue to work closely with regulators, suppliers, and industry bodies to shape our approach to further milestones, including product-level requirements, and give all suppliers the opportunity to align with our net zero ambition. This roadmap is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/get-involved/suppliers/

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing stricter sustainability guidelines for medical clothing procurement.

The Department’s Design for Life Programme is dedicated to the exploration and delivery of a circular economy for medical devices, including consumables, through greater reuse, remanufacture, and recycling. Its work includes exploring regulatory, commercial, digital, policy, and research environments that support delaying products becoming waste for as long as possible. This includes working closely with the MedTech industry to determine sustainable ways of manufacture and reducing waste. More details on the Design for Life programme will be published shortly.The NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap sets out the steps suppliers must take to align with the National Health Services’ net zero ambition between now and 2030. NHS England will continue to work closely with regulators, suppliers, and industry bodies to shape our approach to further milestones, including product-level requirements, and give all suppliers the opportunity to align with our net zero ambition. This roadmap is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/get-involved/suppliers/

What progress has been made towards setting targets for waste reduction in the NHS.

In 2023, NHS England published a new Heath Technical Memoranda (HTM) titled Safe and Sustainable Management of Healthcare Waste, as well as a new clinical waste strategy. Further information on the HTM is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/B2159iii-health-technical-memorandum-07-01.pdfContained within the documents are targets and goals for improved clinical waste segregation, elimination of landfill waste, and increased waste recycling programmes. These measures will continue to reduce waste, and provide better value for money to the National Health Service.

How his Department plans to integrate the National Programme for a Greener NHS with (a) the use of upcycled and reusable medical garments and (b) other unsustainable initiatives to help the NHS meet its net zero targets.

The National Health Service has committed to reaching net zero by 2045 for the emissions it influences through the goods and services it buys from its partners and suppliers. This includes a greater focus on procuring and using sustainable and reusable medical garments where this is safe and effective, such as reusable sterile gowns.To support this, NHS England is working with NHS organisations to share best practice and evidence-based approaches, understand operational challenges, for example, requirements for laundry infrastructure, and support the inclusion of lots to procure reusable medical textile services within relevant procurement frameworks. NHS England supported the Royal Surgical Colleges to develop and promote the Green Theatre Checklist to encourage sustainable theatre approaches, including medical garments. The checklist is available at the following link:https://www.rcsed.ac.uk/professional-support-development-resources/environmental-sustainability-and-surgery/green-theatre-checklistNHS England is also supporting innovation through the Small Business Research Initiative Healthcare programme, which has funded a project to support reuse of surgical textiles. More information is available at the following link:https://sbrihealthcare.co.uk/impact-case-studies/case-studies/revolution-zeroThe Department continues to work closely with the Greener NHS programme in NHS England to support the NHS to meet its net zero targets, including a focus on procuring and using sustainable and reusable products where this is safe and effective.

What steps his Department is taking to encourage the NHS to procure (a) sustainable and (b) upcycled medical garments.

The National Health Service has committed to reaching net zero by 2045 for the emissions it influences through the goods and services it buys from its partners and suppliers. This includes a greater focus on procuring and using sustainable and reusable medical garments where this is safe and effective, such as reusable sterile gowns.To support this, NHS England is working with NHS organisations to share best practice and evidence-based approaches, understand operational challenges, for example, requirements for laundry infrastructure, and support the inclusion of lots to procure reusable medical textile services within relevant procurement frameworks. NHS England supported the Royal Surgical Colleges to develop and promote the Green Theatre Checklist to encourage sustainable theatre approaches, including medical garments. The checklist is available at the following link:https://www.rcsed.ac.uk/professional-support-development-resources/environmental-sustainability-and-surgery/green-theatre-checklistNHS England is also supporting innovation through the Small Business Research Initiative Healthcare programme, which has funded a project to support reuse of surgical textiles. More information is available at the following link:https://sbrihealthcare.co.uk/impact-case-studies/case-studies/revolution-zeroThe Department continues to work closely with the Greener NHS programme in NHS England to support the NHS to meet its net zero targets, including a focus on procuring and using sustainable and reusable products where this is safe and effective.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing procurement rules to ensure that NHS medical garments are not linked to forced labour.

As part of the recommendations from the Department and NHS England’s Review of risk of modern slavery and human trafficking in the NHS supply chain, published in December 2023, it was recommended to lay regulations with a view to eradicate modern slavery, supporting the amendment of Section 12zc in the NHS Act 2006. The regulations cover all goods and service procurements on behalf of the health service, which includes medical garments. Further information on the review is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-risk-of-modern-slavery-and-human-trafficking-in-the-nhs-supply-chainThe Department and NHS England have also collaborated to develop detailed guidance to support the embedding of the regulations and policies throughout the procurement exercise. This ensures alignment to procurements conducted under all legal regimes including the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, Procurement Act 2023, and the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.A public consultation for the content and approach of those regulations is to be launched in Autumn 2024. This will support my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to develop the regulations to ensure the National Health Service eradicates modern slavery in supply chains.