Tucked away on the third floor of the Stopford Building is the Manchester Surgical Skills and Simulation Centre (MSSSC), a state-of-the-art surgical theatre that supports training for medical students, resident doctors, and even experienced surgeons. 

Beyond its nine surgical stations, 30-seat seminar room and high-quality equipment, the centre also runs a sustainability initiative called RECLAIM, which stands for Reuse Equipment and Consumables for Learning in Advanced Medical Education.  

Also referred to as ‘Box it, Don’t Bin it!’, RECLAIM collects donated, out-of-date or unsuitable surgical items from Manchester Foundation Trust (MFT) hospitals and repurposes them for surgical training. 

This initiative is driven by the high levels of waste generated by the medical industry, and the recognition that instruments and consumables no longer suitable for patient use can still have significant educational value.  

The RECLAIM project so far 

What began as a small-scale trial in 2023 is now an annual project at MSSSC. With funding from Green Impact, they were able to introduce permanent RECLAIM bins in hospital surgical theatres and clinics, allowing them to collect even more items for reuse.  

In the past two years, RECLAIM has received over £59,000 worth of donated items, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), blades, syringes, and other surgical instruments.  

The impact and benefits of this initiative are undeniable. Not only is RECLAIM cutting on costs and training the future generation of healthcare professionals, but it is also helping reduce the NHS carbon footprint, 10% of which comes from medical equipment (NHS England, 2022, p.14). 

A vision for RECLAIM 

Following the success of RECLAIM, there is growing interest among the Faculty to further promote the initiative and raise awareness of its impact.  

Some suggestions include establishing additional RECLAIM bins in clinical settings, advertising the initiative through platforms such as the UK Network for Sustainable Research (UKNSR), and evaluating the carbon savings associated with the donated items.  

These activities could be supported through the Quality and Evidence Personal Excellence Pathway (QEPEP), a mandatory component of the MBChB Medicine course in FBMH. During the pathway, students complete a Quality Improvement Project (QIP), which aims to improve a specific aspect of healthcare or patient experience.  

These projects can have a sustainability focus, known as Green QEPEPs. Future projects relating to RECLAIM could offer valuable opportunities for medical students to engage with sustainability in practice, while contributing to a more sustainable healthcare system. 

Additional Information 

Contribute to the initiative by donating your hospital stock to MSSSC. They accept PPE, consumables such as blades, syringes and sutures, as well as surgical instruments. If you would like to donate other items not listed, contact msssc@mft.nhs.uk.  

The RECLAIM collection point in Stopford is the MSSSC on the 3rd Floor. 

Further reading: 

• Sustainability in Healthcare Conference 2036: Students reimagine the future of healthcare at the Sustainability in Healthcare Conference 
• Delivering Net Zero NHS Strategy: Greener NHS » Delivering a net zero NHS 

To find out more about Environmental Sustainability in FBMH, visit the Faculty’s intranet page, website or contact srbmh@manchester.ac.uk. 

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