P982 - GREENER NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT: OPTIMISING DELIVERY SCHEDULES OF MULTICHAMBER BAGS AND INTRAVENOUS FLUIDS TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS AND COSTS – A SINGLE-CENTRE UK STUDY

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P982

GREENER NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT: OPTIMISING DELIVERY SCHEDULES OF MULTICHAMBER BAGS AND INTRAVENOUS FLUIDS TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS AND COSTS – A SINGLE-CENTRE UK STUDY

R. Joshi1,*, U. Sakariya 1, U. Meade1, R. Patel 1

1Pharmacy , London North West University Healthcare Trust, London , United Kingdom

 

Rationale: This study evaluated the feasibility of transitioning Home Parenteral Support (HPS) patients from fortnightly to monthly deliveries based on their prescriptions. Specifically, it examined whether optimising delivery schedules for patients receiving only multichamber bags (MCBs) and or intravenous fluids (IVFs) could reduce carbon emissions and healthcare costs, enhance sustainability, and maintain patient safety and treatment efficacy.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of delivery schedules was conducted for all HPS patients managed by the centre across four homecare providers. Patients were contacted for informed consent, and those who agreed were transitioned from fortnightly to monthly deliveries. Carbon emissions were estimated using vehicle specifications and mileage data from homecare providers, applying standard conversion factors based on vehicle type and distance. Cost savings were also analysed using National Framework pricing to assess potential financial impact.

Results: 75 were identified as receiving only MCBs and or IVFs. Of these, 39 (52%) were transitioned to an optimised monthly delivery schedule, reducing delivery costs by 50% per patient and generating annual savings of £60,837.92. This change also cut carbon emissions by approximately 28,204 kg CO₂ per year. Patient survey feedback indicated high satisfaction, with improved convenience and reliability reported.

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Conclusion: Optimising delivery schedules for patients on MCBs and IVFs resulted in significant environmental and economic benefits, offering a practical way to reduce the carbon footprint of HPS. An added benefit was the reduction in waste generation due to reduced packaging in each delivery. Scaling these optimisations could enhance sustainability across healthcare systems while maintaining care quality and reducing costs.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared