There has been a big drive in recent years to reduce the environmental impact of the NHS – be that their direct (NHS Carbon footprint) or indirect carbon footprint (NHS Carbon footprint Plus which is emissions they can influence), or single use plastics. The aim is to reach net zero for the direct carbon footprint by 2040 and the indirect carbon footprint by 2045. In addition, there are targets to achieve 80% reduction by 2032 and 2039 respectively.
This is a big ask, and is easier said than done, especially in the diagnostics/procedural side of things, because there is a heavy reliance on single use plastics and patients attending hospitals.
County Durham and Darlington introduced the BÜHLMANN IBDoc® calprotectin home test, available from Alpha Laboratories, into the gastroenterology department in mid- 2023 and rapidly started enrolling patients onto the new test. Dr Saad Khan and Lead IBD nurse Sue Ritchie presented a retrospective audit the IBD team had completed at The British Society for Gastroenterology conference in Glasgow in June 2025.
IBDoc faecal calprotectin testing demonstrated significant environmental benefits by reducing travel and CO2 emissions while enabling faster clinical assessment. These findings support its adoption as a sustainable, efficient alternative for managing IBD patients
Read the full report from Leading Edge here.
