Dear colleagues,

Many of you will know that there has been a broader campaign across Metro North to ‘Make the Switch’ around the use of medications, consumables and testing which will help us to develop cost effective strategies to improve the care we provide. 

So far, Taskforce 10 has received a number of fantastic responses to the Make the Switch online form and are busy investigating your suggestions including: 

• Rationalising waste bins in corporate areas and improving access to recycling bins, 

• Swapping single-use products, like disposable blood pressure cuffs for reusable cuffs, in appropriate clinical areas, 
• Reducing the purchasing and use of disposable cups in staff areas, 
• Different printers for patient labels to avoid waste, 
• Rationalising the use of tests, reserving high-cost tests for those who need it the most, 
• Ensuring our fever clinic presentations are coded correctly. 

Taskforce 10 has also been working to nurture partnerships with Digital Metro North, Green Metro North, the Operational Leadership Team, Shadow Leadership Team and the innovation and change facility leads to ensure a thorough review of the suggestions that come through.  

If you have some ideas where we can make the switch to save, then I encourage you to keep sending your suggestions via the Make the Switch online form. 

Regards,

Liz