Conference report: NIHR Global Surgery Unit: Mexico 2024

Purpose: The Research for Greener Surgery Conference took place at the University of Birmingham on 17 December 2024. This was attended by 382 delegates in-person and over 350 virtually. The Conference aimed to build on the existing knowledge on research in sustainability and to provide updates on the ongoing body of research funded by the NIHR to create environmentally sustainable operating theatres in the NHS. The aim was also to promote local initiatives taking place in different NHS trusts and encourage collaboration and upscaling.

Insights from 2024: Following an opening session from Professor Aneel Bhangu, co-director of the Green Surgery Unit, and Professor Adam Tickell, vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, updates from the last year of activity in sustainable surgery were provided from a wide range of experts in the field. These included Natalia Kurek (Greener NHS), Hugh Montgomery (Lancet Countdown on health and climate change), Liza Jabbour (Birmingham Institute for Sustainability & Climate Action) and Jasmine Winter-Beatty (Imperial College London). Results were shared from the completion of the Cheetah trial carbon model, which showed that the trial intervention, previously proven to be clinically beneficial and cost-effective, also leads to carbon savings. The evaluation of this triad of outcomes (clinical, cost and carbon) will support the adoption of the intervention in clinical practice worldwide.

Randomised cluster trials: Progress made on the DRAGON (Reusable versus disposable drapes and gowns for greener operating theatres) trial recruitment was then presented, which led to a discussion on the practical aspects of implementation of the trial results within the NHS. The trial is currently recruiting in the UK. A new anaesthesia-centred trial was introduced, the NOBLE trial, which focusses on the delivery of nitrous oxide to patients through cylinders and manifolds. Expressions of interest are currently being collected for NOBLE.