A major environmental culprit in healthcare is consumables and an important part of the environmental work to achieve our climate goals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to reduce the environmental and climate impact of disposable items.
In this respect, health centres need to work actively and responsibly when making procurements and choosing products for their range. Procurements should therefore always include environmental and climate footprint requirements to ensure the most sustainable alternative - a sustainable procurement in simple terms.
Of course, the best way to do this is to avoid or reduce the use of disposables. By replacing disposable products with reusable ones, we can reduce waste levels. Other important aspects to consider are:
a) Materials in the product
b) Disposable or reusable (reusable is often better from a health and environmental perspective).
c) Is the packaging and/or product recyclable?
d) Packaging with waste or single packed in bulk.
Because single-use materials have virtually no impact on the environment while we are using them, it is the manufacturing, transport and incineration (waste management) that is the culprit.
Incontinence protection on prescription
If you have problems with urine leakage, you are entitled to a prescription for incontinence pads or other incontinence aids from your healthcare provider in many different countries. Incontinence pads for both adults and the elderly can be available on prescription, often free of charge. However, disposable incontinence pads are often made of a lot of plastic and contribute to both the waste mountain and the climate footprint. As a patient, you can make an active choice and ask your prescriber about more environmentally friendly alternatives, such as Efemia Bladder Support. If Efemia is not available for prescription in your country, you can find our distributors here.
How does it work?
To get an incontinence aid on prescription, you need to seek care, often at your health centre. You will then meet a district nurse or incontinence nurse who will ask you questions about your urine leakage. For example, how often you leak, how much you leak and in what situations you leak.
Before a return visit, you usually have to keep a weekly diary of your leakage so that the incontinence nurse can then decide which incontinence protection is suitable for you. Sometimes you need a referral to a urotherapy centre, for example. Here you as a patient can make an active choice and ask your prescriber about more environmentally friendly alternatives such as Efemia Bladder Support.