13/01/2026
🧤 Glove Purchasing Update – December
At the end of last year, our Trust purchased 1.45 million single‑use gloves. Although this was an increase compared to November, there’s important progress worth celebrating... When comparing June–December 2024 to the same period in 2025, we saw significant reductions in:
- Gloves purchased (14% reduction)
- Waste generated (12% reduction)
- Embedded CO₂ emissions (11% reduction)
- Overall costs (21% reduction)
A huge thank you to everyone across the Trust for your efforts — your actions made a genuine difference toward the end of last year. 🌍💙
A reminder: gloves are not required for all patient activities... It is not clinically appropriate to wear gloves when:
📈 Checking blood pressure or temperature
💊 Dispensing medication
🍽️ Handling or collecting meal trays and drinks
🤝 Touching a patient
🍼 Assisting with oral nutrition
🦽 Moving a patient, chair, trolley or bed
📞 Using phones or computers
✨ Performing hand hygiene before and after these activities is more effective — protecting you, our patients, and the planet.
🔍 The Sustainability Team will continue to work closely with IPCT to highlight monthly glove‑purchasing data and what it means for waste, carbon emissions and Trust finances. This helps raise awareness and reduce inappropriate glove use.
📘 For full guidance on the Trust’s glove campaign, visit Connect:
https://www.cuhconnect.nhs.uk/.../infection.../hand-hygiene/
