Annex 1
EXAMPLES OF
NHS BEST PRACTICE
IN REUSABLE
NAPPIES
Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust
— Supply reusable nappies and wraps
— Poster displays on reusable nappies
and landfill information highlighting environmental benefits of
nappies.
Since 1999 all mothers in Exeter Maternity Unit
have a cotton nappy in the cot at delivery, so the first nappy
worn is a reusable nappy. Devon County Council approached Cotton
Bottoms, a Nappy Alliance member, to set up an agreement to
supply reusable nappy and the outer wraps, in order to reduce
hospital waste, in particular from disposable nappies.
They allow mothers to have a choice during their
stay of which nappy they use to suit their lifestyle. The reusable
nappies are collected by Cotton Bottoms and taken to a trust laundry.
The scheme applies to Heavitree, Honiton, Okehampton and Tiverton
Maternity Units. Cotton Bottoms also has a community scheme to
provide nappies and laundry services to Exeter, although this
is a separate venture.
Heavitree Hospital holds an Early Bird Session
in the Maternity Unit for women and their partners to visit early
on in their pregnancy where a display of reusable nappies is provided.
This gives them time to consider their options in this regard.
The hospital also has poster displays showing how long a disposable
nappy takes to disintegrate on a landfill site, which surprises
many mothers. They believe that pregnancy is a good time to give
environmental information as women focus on the world their baby
will grow up in.
Sussex Downs and Weald NHS Trust
— Work with local councils
— Work with Sussex Real Nappy Network
and individual suppliers of real nappies
— Cotton Bottoms supply Real Nappies
— Community Centre display stand
— Outside health visitors advise and
promote real nappy use
— Real nappy starter packs
— Visits from Real Nappy Network coordinators
The Trust is very proactive in the area of re-usable
nappies. It works with local councils, Brighton and Hove Sussex
Real Nappy Network and individual suppliers of washable nappies.
The High Weald, Crowborough Birthing Unit is
supplied with Cotton Bottoms by Wealden District Council and all
mothers are supplied with them for their new born babies. There
is therefore a high uptake of re-usable nappies which is subsequently
encouraged by health visitors.
There is a Real Nappy display stand at Heathfield
Community Centre and health visitors in the Ouse Valley area have
arranged for more displays to be produced on a permanent basis.
In Lewes and Newick outside speakers attend ante-natal groups
and demonstrate and promote reusable nappies. In the Ouse Valley
clients can also purchase real nappy starter packs for £5.
The Havens Sure Start area runs a nappy loan
scheme where, for a token sum of £10, parents can purchase
a whole set of reusable nappies and wraps. This has proved successful
and increased the number of parents opting for the scheme, especially
in deprived areas.
Their health visitors access training from local
nappy suppliers or via the Real Nappy Network co-coordinator,
who visits clinics regularly.
17 October 2005
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