Reusables at Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland

In a hospital, sustainability quickly becomes about reducing waste. Part of the Green Deal, the government’s agreements with the sector on sustainability, is therefore betting on reuse. Among other things, by replacing disposable products with a washable alternative. Aïsha Milatz from Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland shares her experiences with Nedlin reusables.

Which reusables do you use?
Aïsha Milatz, Logistics Department Manager: “In the children’s department, we have been using reusable isolation gowns for a year now. This year, the entire hospital is switching. In the initial period, we keep an extra close eye on stock and lead times. In an emergency, we offer disposables as an alternative. In the future, we will also look at cover materials, underpads and surgical gowns. And we use heat blankets in the operating room.”

How does that work?
“We have a sustainability agenda with a number of targets, including waste reduction. A resource analysis was carried out last year at the operating room. We often saw the disposable isolation gowns there. We asked ourselves: can we design this in a way that it does not cost more and is really better? 

During the corona pandemic, we procured reusable isolation gowns, as a shortage was looming. Those were still in stock. The children’s department proved very suitable for testing the gowns. The success in that department, coupled with developments in reusables, created space to explore its use further.”

What challenges do you face?
“Price is an important factor. The switch should be sustainable as well as cost-effective. Sometimes departments have different requirements, for example in terms of length. We take that into account in our choice. Furthermore, reusables require a different way of working, which takes some getting used to. And sometimes I get comments about the colour. Clothing involves some emotion, after all.”

How do you make reusables a success?
“Make sure you have a good plan, including the financial aspect. There are 15 Green Teams in the hospital, with many ideas. See what makes the most sense, for the department and for the whole organisation. And make use of ambassadors who promote the initiative in the department. Our Programme Manager Sustainability and Environment is the connecting factor between the different Green Teams in this regard.”

How sustainable are you beyond that?
"Sustainability is highly prioritized here, but we realize we still have many steps to take. We will also conduct a raw materials analysis in other departments to explore how we can reduce our total waste. Our contact with Nedlin is crucial in this. We exchange information to brainstorm together."

Do you have any tips for other organisations?
“Make informed choices and involve the right people so that you have sufficient support. And don’t be afraid to think outside the box. You can focus on obstacles, but you can also look at what it takes to make it work.”