A New Era for Medical Device Waste Management

Health Minister Baroness Merron attended the launch of the Design for Life programme at University College London Hospital. The event, hosted by the Circular Economy Healthcare Alliance, highlighted a ground-breaking initiative that aims to drastically reduce the use of single-use medical devices across the NHS. By moving towards a more sustainable approach, this roadmap is expected to save millions of pounds, reduce waste, and support the UK’s ambition to become a life sciences superpower.

Following on from this important announcement, Helen Dent, Chief Executive of BIVDA, reflects on the impact of the Design for Life programme and the future of the In vitro diagnostics (IVD) sector.

Moving Towards a Circular Economy

Waste disposal costs the NHS millions of pounds each year. Shifting away from single-use devices will not only reduce these costs but also allow for reinvestment in other areas of the NHS.

For the IVD sector, this shift to a circular economy requires us to rethink our business models and invest in technology and skills. A programme such as Design for Life gives industry the framework and surety needed to secure investment from corporations and markets. Uncertainty has often been a barrier to innovation, but with this programme, we have a clear path forward.

Strengthening Supply Chain Resilience

By adopting principles of reuse, remanufacture, and recycling, we can significantly improve supply chain resilience. Keeping critical raw materials within the local economy is vital, especially as global events continue to disrupt supply chains.

For example, recycling IVD consumables can provide high-quality materials that can be reused across various sectors. It is important to consider through a strategic approach like Design for Life, what the purpose of the product is, rather than a blanket idealism, often seen with other programmes. This not only reduces waste but strengthens our industry’s ability to innovate and respond to growing global demand.

Rethinking Product Design

Industry needs support to move away from the throwaway model for devices and refocus on designing products with increased lifespan and durability.

Current single-use designs stem from longstanding NHS requirements, but future designs must allow for local repairs while ensuring patient safety. The IVD sector already applies this to large instruments (typically designed for 10 years of service with engineer support).

The challenge now is extending this approach to smaller devices, especially as diagnostics in community settings are key to enhancing NHS performance and improving patient interaction.

Overcoming Barriers to Innovation

Our sector is already on the path to net zero and greater sustainability, but many of today’s devices are not suited for reuse or recycling. This demands a ground-up rethink of product design. We need to integrate reuse, reprocessing, and recycling from the earliest stages.

However, the sectoral medical devices regulations pose a challenge, as they don’t always align with circular economy goals. We must work to resolve these conflicts to make it easier for the sector to innovate while still ensuring patient safety.

The Path Forward

Design for Life provides a realistic, achievable vision for reducing single-use devices and transforming the NHS into a more sustainable system. As the programme rolls out, collaboration across the sector will be key to achieving its ambitious goals. The NHS must signal which devices should be prioritised for redesign and recycling, and industries must work closely together to achieve a balance between innovation, patient safety, and sustainability. With programmes like Design for Life leading the way, the UK can maintain its position as a global leader in life sciences and healthcare innovation.

Read more about the Design for Life Roadmap here:

Major crackdown on NHS waste - GOV.UK