New dialysis system at Hollinswood House cuts waste and saves money

The Community Diagnostic Centre at Hollinswood House opened in October 2023. It provides non urgent diagnostic tests for patients and also houses an outpatient unit for lower risk patients who need dialysis.

As part of the move into the building, David Roberts, Senior Specialist Medical Equipment Technologist, and Jeremy Harris, Senior Assistant Technical Officer, coordinated the installation of a Central Delivery System for dialysis fluids. The system pumps dialysate, the fluid used during dialysis, directly to the renal unit through a network of pipes, removing the need for staff to carry heavy containers to each dialysis station.

Before the system was installed, dialysis fluid was supplied in six litre plastic cans. These were more expensive, increased manual handling risks for clinical staff and resulted in a large volume of plastic waste.

Since switching to the Central Delivery System, the Trust is saving £30,000 per year. The change has also significantly reduced waste, with several hundred plastic containers no longer needing to be disposed of or recycled each week.

As well as delivering clear cost savings, the system supports the Trust’s wider environmental aims by cutting plastic use and reducing its carbon footprint. The equivalent to half a million litres of water per year is saved, as well as 13,000 plastic containers and this new system saves over 23,000 litres of dialysis fluid. These figures contribute towards three quarters of a tonne of Co2 saving for each of the 26 dialysis stations per year.

Jeremy Harris and David Roberts, who supported the move to Hollinswood House, coordinated the installation of the system and continue to play a key role in its day-to-day use. They maintain the system and train staff to ensure it is used safely and effectively, helping to reduce risk within the department and maintain high clinical standards.

David said: “We identified that cost savings could be made with the installation of this new system in the new building at Hollinswood House and between Jeremy and myself, we worked together to make the whole system better for patients and colleagues alike. It is the future of renal services in Shropshire.”

The Central Delivery System is now embedded into everyday practice at Hollinswood House, providing a more sustainable, efficient and safer way of delivering dialysis treatment for patients.

Jo Williams, Chief Executive Officer said: “This is a great example of how our teams are finding smarter ways to improve care while using NHS resources responsibly. By investing in

systems that reduce waste, save money and make day-to-day work safer for our staff, we’re improving the experience for both patients and colleagues.”