The development of strategic and tactical tools, using systems analysis, for waste management in large complex organisations: a case study in UK healthcare waste

Healthcare waste management within the United Kingdom (UK) has been identified as an area requiring extensive adoption of Best Practice (DETR, 2000). The National Health Service (NHS) generated 384,698 tonnes of waste in 2001. In order to manage this waste effectively, strategic and tactical tools within the NHS are required, which is a large complex organisation. Examples of such tools which could be used to deliver Best Practice within a hospital environment are the Strategic Waste Achievement Programme (SWAP) methodology and structured systems analysis design method (SSADM). SWAP is a strategic tool for senior managers and policy makers that can be used to develop sustainable waste management programmes and strategies for the whole organisation. An outline of SWAP is included in this paper. SSADM is the standard methodology used by the UK government for the development of their information systems. Some functional aspects of SSADM have been adapted for the documentation of waste generation and waste streams within an acute general hospital. A diagrammatic representation of the systems in place is the output from the waste flow diagrams (WFDs). These are relevant to the tactical levels within the organisation as the diagrams can be ‘walked through’ with the hospital managers and staff. The adoption of the methodology led to easily identified savings, amounting to over £28,000 for no capital outlay.