We are very proud to announce that we have been awarded a grant from SBRI Healthcare to evaluate the impact that Rewire will have on the carbon footprint of a community stroke rehabilitation service. Environmental stewardship is one of our core values and this award gives us the opportunity to demonstrate how Rewire can help the NHS achieve its sustainability goals, while improving clinical outcomes.
The NHS aims to achieve net zero direct carbon emissions by 2040, an audacious goal given that direct emissions exceed 6.5 million metric tonnes annually. Reasonable progress has been made with a 2MtCO2e reduction from 2015 to 2019: changes focused on installing more efficient lighting and overhauling the NHS fleet with electric vehicles. However, progress in subsequent years has slowed, having found success with these quick wins. And so here we are, at a critical juncture that requires truly transformative change in order to address the biggest challenges of our time.
We believe that Rewire is capable of delivering the radical change that a warming planet and an overwhelmed healthcare system demands. The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare will help us to determine whether Rewire reduces carbon emissions associated with travel, resource use during rehabilitation visits and polypharmacy in stroke management.
Due to the intensity of therapy recommended after stroke, community rehabilitation teams have a significant carbon footprint with regular home visits. Stroke survivors should receive a minimum of 3 hours of motor rehabilitation every weekday, last year in the community the average amount of therapy received was 22.5 minutes. Despite the huge deficit, community rehabilitation still register a large number of miles, particularly in NHS Trusts with a sizeable rural population. Rewire aims to increase the amount of therapy received, while helping to provide more support virtually. Furthermore, patents will continue to have access to Rewire long after discharge from their community services.
Another source of carbon emissions is medications, these account for around 25% of the total carbon footprint of the NHS. Evidence shows that over 60% of stroke patients take 6 or more medications and that almost two thirds of these patients may be taking medications that are potentially inappropriate. Rewire will introduce a simple form where patients can capture any medications they are no longer taking or feel that they do not need. This information can be presented to their physician when reviewed in the outpatient setting or when they visit their GP. We will be monitoring the number of medications reconciled using this feature.
As a supplier to the NHS,Rewire Rehab Ltd is committed to measuring and reducing its carbon footprint.Currently Rewire uses Google Cloud to host its servers and process data requests, with 85% of electricity consumed having been generated or matched with carbon-free energy. The remaining scope 2 emissions from the London data centre are neutralised by carbon offsets. Our organisation aims to be B Corp Certified by 2025 and will achieve Net Zero by 2030 in line with NHS targets.
This award speaks to our values and will help to show whether Rewire is capable of transforming post-stroke care or whether we are the digital equivalent of sticking another recycling bin in a dark corner of a hospital ward. For more sobering statistics and references to the improper use of recycling bins, please see our article on the NHS’ net zero target, found here.