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29/03/2004
NHS' disposable nappy policy threatens waste strategy
The NHS has been accused of undermining the government’s waste strategy and denying parents a fair choice by promoting the use of disposable nappies.
In its report, 'Nappies and the NHS – waste prevention and a fair choice for parents', published to coincide with today launch of Real Nappy Week, the Women's Environment Network (WEN) claimed that use of disposable nappies ran contrary to the Department of the Environment's target of converting 155,000 households to real nappy use by April 2006.
Despite this target, the WEN has claimed that hospitals provide parents with little or no access to information and education about real nappies.
The report has found that where parents are given a fair choice, nappy waste is reduced and parents, health services and local councils all make savings.
Ann Link, Coordinator of WEN, said: “In the majority of maternity hospitals throughout the UK, disposable nappies are the only nappies demonstrated in ante-natal classes, given out free in Bounty and other freebie packs and in use on maternity wards."
She added: "A few paragraphs about ‘terries’ in Department of Health babycare publications are not enough to balance the insidious promotion of disposable nappies in the NHS.”
WEN has estimated that disposing of nappy waste is costing the NHS about 88p per baby - roughly equivalent to profits from the Bounty Bag system. Hospitals can reduce these costs through the use of real nappies on-ward, the network said.
(gmcg)
In its report, 'Nappies and the NHS – waste prevention and a fair choice for parents', published to coincide with today launch of Real Nappy Week, the Women's Environment Network (WEN) claimed that use of disposable nappies ran contrary to the Department of the Environment's target of converting 155,000 households to real nappy use by April 2006.
Despite this target, the WEN has claimed that hospitals provide parents with little or no access to information and education about real nappies.
The report has found that where parents are given a fair choice, nappy waste is reduced and parents, health services and local councils all make savings.
Ann Link, Coordinator of WEN, said: “In the majority of maternity hospitals throughout the UK, disposable nappies are the only nappies demonstrated in ante-natal classes, given out free in Bounty and other freebie packs and in use on maternity wards."
She added: "A few paragraphs about ‘terries’ in Department of Health babycare publications are not enough to balance the insidious promotion of disposable nappies in the NHS.”
WEN has estimated that disposing of nappy waste is costing the NHS about 88p per baby - roughly equivalent to profits from the Bounty Bag system. Hospitals can reduce these costs through the use of real nappies on-ward, the network said.
(gmcg)
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