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Reducing Paper Use - Patient Clinical Record

By: South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Financial Savings

6843kg

The Trust has been undertaking a detailed analysis of paper use and the areas where this can be reduced. SECAmb uses in excess of 1,000 A3 sized paper clinical patient care record forms (PCR) in every 24 hour period. We were concerned by this amount and in consultation with clinical staff we have reduced the requirement from having two duplicated carbon copies to one, and in so doing have saved over 365,000 pieces of A3 paper each year. Using our CO2 paper calculator we discovered that this also reducues our indirect CO2 emissions by 6843kg each year. The 2nd duplicated copy was used for 'Continuing Professional Development' purposes - this is now achieved electronically. In the longer term SECAmb is looking to remove the use of paper almost entirely through the use of an electronic PCR. 

Across the Trust operational area of Kent, Sussex, Surrey and North East Hampshire

To reduce the CO2 produced from our use of paper

ongoing
C/O Damien Cominos, Climate Change Advisor, Damien.Cominos@secamb.nhs.uk