Explore our sustainable initiatives and the people behind them |
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The health of our planet, and the wellbeing of our communities are closely interconnected. Currently, Australia's health system is estimated to contribute seven per cent of Australia’s total carbon footprint. We have a responsibility to drive significant change. By successfully transitioning to a low carbon, climate resilient healthcare system, NSW Health can be a part of the solution.
Our first Net Zero Roadmap 2025-2030 launched last month and will help us achieve an environmentally sustainable footprint in tandem with providing exceptional patient care. Our people play a leading role in this, and their great ideas and initiatives are already having an impact throughout the health system. |
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The Sustainable Futures Innovation Fund has funded 28 projects so far, helping to improve health outcomes, reduce our environmental impact, and strengthen climate resilience. This year there are nine projects which will receive financial support. I look forward to sharing these with you soon.
It's not just our people driving this change – our patients are also strongly behind our sustainability efforts. The Bureau of Health Information’s latest Healthcare in Focus shows more than 9 in 10 patients were supportive of NSW Health’s efforts to deliver services in more environmentally sustainable ways and willing to take actions to support those efforts. You can read more about this survey below.
Reducing carbon emissions in a health system as large and complex as ours takes time – but as the stories below show, real progress is already happening. Thanks to the efforts of our many champions of change, we are creating a healthier, more sustainable future together. |
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Kind regards,
Susan Pearce AM
Secretary, NSW Health |
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Patients at the Forensic Hospital are cultivating green thumbs via the Bundaleer project. In addition to supporting rehabilitation, the project reduces the hospital’s environmental footprint.
“Bundaleer is a First Nations word that means ‘among the trees’. The project provides patients a way to contribute to the environment and their communities,” said Jerome Chong, Manager of Allied Health, Recovery Services, Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network.
With $25,000 from the NSW Health Sustainable Futures Innovation Fund, the hospital has set up a greenhouse, shade-house, and rainwater tank. The team also recently introduced a native stingless beehive. |
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“In partnership with IndigiGrow, the program educates patients about growing native plants. It also passes down traditional knowledge from Elders, instilling a strong cultural foundation and connection to Country.”
Since the project began, more than 3,000 native plants, including wattle, rosella, and the endangered eastern suburbs banksia scrub, have been planted. More than 500 plants were distributed to the community, supporting climate resilience and increasing biodiversity. |
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“It has a simultaneous impact on the sustainability of people, land and culture, and how these uniquely contribute to First Nations patients’ cultural identity, overall wellbeing and mental health recovery journey.” |
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Blooms from the grounds of the Forensic Hospital provided inspiration for Matekitewai’s kind gesture for her colleagues. |
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At Western NSW Local Health District, staff turn trash into treasure by upcycling medical plastic waste into their local awards trophies. |
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They were inspired by their colleagues at Hunter New England Local Health District, who first introduced the idea.
As part of the recycling process, staff are already collecting plastics for this year’s awards in August. “We started by collecting various types of medical plastics, from tubing to needle caps from immunisation clinics,” said Shelley Hanrahan, Environmental Sustainability Manager at Western NSW Local Health District. |
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Western NSW Local Health District Awards trophy |
| “For the 19 trophies, we collected up to 30 kilograms of plastic waste. It’s not just about creating something meaningful, but also about diverting plastic from landfills,” she said. In addition to being environmentally friendly, the trophies are locally manufactured, helping to support local businesses while reducing carbon emissions.
“Sustainability and innovation go hand in hand. We promote a circular economy, and explored ways to re-use our single use plastics,” said Elissa Klinkenberg, Sustainability Program Manager at Hunter New England Local Health District.
“What makes this initiative successful is the opportunity to showcase what's possible, with staff excited to embrace new ideas and push the boundaries of what's achievable following the principles of circularity.” |
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NatureFix is a new wellbeing app introduced at Northern Sydney Local Health District to connect staff and visitors with nature. The app geolocates users then provides them a playlist of short, self-guided mindfulness routines to connect with nature, transforming a green space into a wellness zone. |
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Adam Cryer, Uncle Laurie Bimson, Jonathon Noyes |
| “Each wellbeing zone includes a series of short wellness audio routines to help increase self-care and improve mood, energy, and focus,” said Jonathon Noyes, Healthy Built Environments Program Manager. “This initiative offers our staff valuable wellbeing benefits and supports them to continue to provide high-quality patient care for the community.” The app also provides cultural insights, allowing users to learn about the traditional custodians of the land on which the sites are located.
“People can actually stand on Country, close their eyes, and feel how these places would have felt thousands of years ago,” said Adam Cryer, Community Inclusion and Capacity Building Project Manager.
“The ability to have such strong cultural knowledge shared by Elders through stories is very powerful,” he said. |
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The Bureau of Health Information (BHI)'s latest Healthcare in Focus includes new data on patients' views and expectations about the environmental sustainability of their healthcare.
A total of 1,331 adult patients discharged from NSW public hospitals between July and September 2024 responded to the online version of the Adult Admitted Patient Survey. More than 9 in 10 were supportive of NSW Health’s efforts to deliver services in more environmentally sustainable ways and more than 8 in 10 were willing to take actions to support those efforts. |
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Findings also show that: - Around 7 in 10 patients said that environmental impacts were 'definitely' or ‘to some extent’ important to them when considering their care and treatment options
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Around 8 in 10 patients said they would 'definitely' or 'to some extent' be comfortable with their care or treatment being provided in the community rather than in hospital
- More than 8 in 10 patients said they would 'definitely' or 'to some extent' take a prescription medicine that was more environmentally-friendly provided it was equally safe and effective.
More information and results from the sustainability survey can be found on the BHI website. |
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Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District is replacing single-use plastic fit packs* with recyclable cardboard alternatives in the NSW Needle and Syringe Program.
"We were concerned about the sheer volume of single-use plastic being generated, the escalating costs of fit packs, and about the lack of critical review since their introduction," said Louise Maher, Senior Health Promotion Officer.
"We also observed a significant number of empty fit packs being discarded at vending machines, which raised questions about their necessity and disposal,” she said. |
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After a successful trial at Nepean Hospital, the program expanded to Community Health Centres in Penrith, St Marys, and Windsor in February 2024. To date, 26,000 cardboard packs have been distributed.
"This represents a significant reduction in our environmental footprint. We've effectively replaced 1.6 tonnes of single-use plastic, reduced waste contractor costs by $1,248 and decreased carbon emissions by 4,979 kilograms,” said Louise. |
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Amy Clasquin, Louise Maher, Nadia Abram, Julie-Anne Downie, Felicity Sheaves |
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*A fit pack is a compact, anonymous container with free sterile injecting equipment. They are designed to minimise the risk of infection associated with injecting drug use by providing a safe and discreet way to obtain sterile syringes.
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Renewing confidence with upcycled uniforms |
Hospitals across South Eastern Sydney Local Health District are helping staff save money with second-hand or upcycled uniforms while reducing textile waste. |
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| “The service allows new starters to get the right uniform before their start date, rather than waiting for new stock. This helps foster a sense of belonging and boosts confidence for new staff, which adds to the quality of patient care,” said Lisa Black, Community Engagement and Fundraising Manager at Sutherland Hospital. “To date, the Sutherland Hospital pool has distributed over 350 uniforms, saving the equivalent of more than 440 kilograms of carbon emissions,” she said. Other hospitals in the district have followed suit. St George Hospital's successful uniform recycling drive in November 2024 diverted 320 kilograms of uniforms from landfill.
Prince of Wales Hospital has also established their Uniform Recycling Hub. Since opening in late February, more than 370 uniforms have been redistributed. |
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Diverting landfill through innovation
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Western Sydney Local Health District has found an innovative way to reduce landfill and protect natural resources through the GoShare platform. By replacing paper pamphlets with digital resources, staff can now send articles, stories, and fact sheets to patients and their families through the GoShare platform.
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During the 2023-24 financial year, staff sent 547,408 patient educational resources digitally, cutting 2,815.7 kilograms of carbon emissions.
“If each resource equates to one printed A4 sheet of paper, we’ve saved 2,731 kilograms of paper, preserved 6.8 trees, and prevented 34,141 square metres – 131 tennis courts – from ending up in landfill,” said Julianne Bogdanovski, GoShare Caretaker and Integrated HealthPathways Manager. “We have a library of patient educational resources shared across our district. It's like us going into each other's filing cabinets.” | | |
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The use of GoShare in Western Sydney has significantly cut down the number of paper-based pamphlets, reducing landfill waste, promoting a healthier environment, and supporting sustainable resource management.
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Risk assess for PPE success |
In Australia, hospitals contribute seven per cent of the country’s carbon emissions. Initiatives like the Risk Assess for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Success project at Hunter New England Local Health District aim to change that. |
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| “Our goal is to reduce excess use and misuse of non-surgical gowns and gloves statewide by 30 per cent, whilst improving hand hygiene and environmental cleaning,” said Kylie Taylor, Clinical Nurse Consultant and Net Zero Hub Co-lead. “We hope that by risk assessing the need for PPE and in turn following standard precautions, we may even see a reduction in healthcare associated infections."
The initiative is the pilot project of the district’s Net Zero Infection Prevention Services Hub. It's built on the previous success of two separate district initiatives to reduce glove and gown use. “The great thing about infection prevention is that we are everywhere. This means we can contribute to sustainable healthcare across the board,” said Kylie. |
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"It's achievable if we focus on better procurement systems, enshrine sustainability in governance, and continue improving infrastructure supported by renewable energy.
"Sustainability can seem disconnected from healthcare. But when it's embedded into daily routines, it can improve patient outcomes, staff wellbeing, and lead to financial savings," she said. | |
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In focus with Dr Kate Charlesworth |
Q: What initiatives or practices can improve the sustainability of our health system in our day-to-day?
A: There are already many amazing staff-led sustainability initiatives in place, see the Agency for Clinical Innovation’s Innovation Exchange website and the Sustainable Futures Innovation Fund for examples.
To further our organisational sustainability goals, we’ve outlined a few key practices based on the principles of sustainable healthcare that can be incorporated into day-to-day activities. |
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1. Avoid: Reduce harms and risks to patients, and waste, by avoiding unnecessary tests, medicines and procedures.
2. Reduce: Reduce unnecessary use of resources wherever appropriate, for example, non-sterile gloves, gowns, blueys etc., or switching from Intravenous to oral antimicrobial therapy where clinically appropriate. 3. Reuse: Safely choose a reusable option if available. Northern Sydney Local Health District staff are reintroducing metal holloware in operating theatres to replace single-use holloware. 4. Recycle: Many items can now be recycled. Hunter New England Local Health District staff are recycling staff uniforms and transforming them into green ceramic tiles for future builds. 5. Disposal: Putting waste in the right bin (general waste, recycling, sharps, clinical waste bins). |
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Additionally, shifting to greener modes of transport including walking, cycling, public transport and car-pooling, can reduce our staff travel emissions.
To learn more about sustainable healthcare practices contact your Sustainability Manager or visit the practising sustainable healthcare collection. Staff can also access education and training run by the Climate Risk and Net Zero Unit on the NSW Health website.
Dr Kate Charlesworth Medical Director, Climate Risk and Net Zero Unit
System Purchasing Branch, NSW Ministry of Health |
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From the Critical Intelligence Unit
The Critical Intelligence Unit (CIU) Evidence Digest highlights transformative clinical innovations.
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Machine learning to identify trauma patients for haemorrhage control resuscitation, empagliflozin after acute myocardial infarction, and blood test for Alzheimer biomarkers.
Subscribe for Wednesday morning updates or explore the CIU's living evidence table on AI in healthcare.
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NSW Health acknowledges Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the lands and waters of NSW and pays respect to Elders past, present and future. |
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