Orthocycle Foundation: Recycling Medical Devices in Orthopaedic Surgery

Description

The presentation begins with Amer Shoaib, a foot and ankle surgeon based in Manchester, expressing gratitude and humility for speaking alongside distinguished colleagues. He introduces his discussion about sustainability in healthcare, particularly highlighting the waste generated by the NHS, which contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and public sector waste. Amidst addressing the pressing environmental issues stemming from surgical practices, he underscores the need for practices that minimize waste, such as reducing single-use devices and increasing recycling efforts.



Shoaib introduces his charity, OrthoCycle, which focuses on recycling medical equipment and providing orthopedic supplies to low and middle-income countries. He emphasizes that all funds raised are utilized for shipping recycled equipment internationally. The charity operates on three main principles: recycle, treat, and train. He shares the tangible outcomes of their efforts, such as knee braces and pneumatic drivers sent to hospitals in countries like Tanzania, used effectively to treat patients.



Discussing further, he showcases the collaborative nature of their work, including training local medical professionals and sharing knowledge, along with collecting unused equipment to prevent it from ending up in landfills. He concludes his talk encouraging the audience to consider their role in this initiative, presenting ways they can contribute to sustainability efforts within the NHS and the global healthcare community.

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