The national call is focussed on three key areas:
The manufacturing of single-use medical products often involves resource-intensive processes, using plastics and other materials that require significant energy inputs. This results in substantial greenhouse gas emissions.
Many healthcare items are designed for single use and create a constant stream of waste. The disposal process, whether it involves incineration (which can release harmful emissions and substances) or landfilling (which leads to issues like leachate, soil contamination, and methane emissions), adds to the environmental and health burden.
The combination of processes including cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation used to render reusable invasive medical devices safe for handling by staff and for service users. Effective decontamination of reusable items and invasive medical devices is an essential component in the prevention of healthcare associated infections.
There is also a particular need to develop and test alternatives in the following areas: Syringes/sharps, bottles, packaging, cutlery and crockery, nappies and sanitary products, medical textiles (including surgical gowns, theatre drapes, aprons, masks, hats accessories).
Please note this call is not a route to procurement, nor is there any commitment of any healthcare site or personnel to purchase by engaging in these pilots and evaluations.
All applications will be evaluated based on two separately scored lifecycle inventory analysis and circularity life cycle analysis. These are two individual sections. They are scored separately under the following headings, and all should be completed to the best of your ability and where relevant to your product. The background document is a critical support in completing your application. Please read carefully.
There is a two-stage assessment process for applications:
The national GreenTech healthcare call is supported by four Clinical Sustainability Advisors (CSAs) working in frontline positions across the country. Each of our CSAs added their expertise and commitment to sustainability in healthcare to guide and inform the national call:
Dr Cathy Burke is a consultant gynaecologist / obstetrician at Cork University Maternity Hospital. She is a consultant representative with Irish Doctors for the Environment, Chair of the Green Group at Cork University Maternity Hospital and committee member of the Green Campus Group at Cork University Hospital.
Dr Lisa McNamee is the primary care sustainability lead for Irish Doctors for the Environment. She is a GP and a frequent contributor to the medical press on green issues.
Dr Ana Rakovac is a consultant chemical pathologist in Tallaght University Hospital, Naas General Hospital and Peamount Healthcare ,and a national specialty director for chemical pathology with royal college of physicians of Ireland. Ana chairs Irish Doctors for the Environment (IDE) Sustainable Healthcare Working Group. She established a Green Committee in TUH in 2019, wrote the TUH Climate Action Strategy 2024-2030, currently under review by the TUH Board and created the Clinical Laboratories My Green Lab Network.
Michael is a Principal Clinical Engineer, part of the Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering department at University Hospital Galway and a HSE Clinical Liaison for HIHI. Working across the various departments of the hospital he is responsible for the purchase and support of medical technology. Within this role he has a keen interest in sustainability and the effective use of medical devices.
For general enquiries please contact: info@hihi.ie, climateandsustainability@hse.ie or your nearest HIHI office:
| Eimear Galvin | Dublin | Galvinei@tcd.ie |
| Jane O'Flynn | Cork | jane.oflynn@mtu.ie |
| Geraldine O’Flynn | Galway | geraldine.oflynn@universityofgalway.ie |
HIHI will work with a winning innovator to pilot their product or service in an Irish healthcare setting or with the target end-user. HIHI will seek out a suitable location to pilot this innovation from its network. A HIHI project manager will be assigned to work closely with the innovator and to manage this pilot. The scope of the pilot will be agreed with all parties (company, healthcare site, HIHI) in a HIHI project agreement document. HIHI will oversee the management of the pilot, gather and analyse the results of the pilot and prepare a final project report.
Innovators should note that a HIHI project:
HIHI will work with a winning innovator to evaluate their product or service in an Irish healthcare setting. These products and service can be either in development or market ready. HIHI will seek out a suitable clinical experts and end-users to provide feedback on innovative product or service through demonstrations, focus groups or one-to-one interviews.
A HIHI project manager will be assigned to work closely with the company and to manage this pilot. The scope of the pilot will be agreed with all parties (innovators, healthcare experts, HIHI) in a HIHI project agreement document. HIHI will oversee the management of the pilot, gather and analyse the results of the pilot and prepare a final project report.
Innovators should note that a HIHI clinical evaluation project:
Case studies of some previous pilot and clinical evaluation projects can be found at: https://hih.ie/case-studies.
No, HIHI does not provide funding for projects from this call.
No, winners of this HIHI Call do not have to pay for the agreed project.
Companies or individuals who are not eligible to apply to the HIHI GreenTech Call can request support from HIHI through the HIHI Innovation Portal. HIHI provides support to companies and individual whose innovation is focused on any healthcare needs and is at various stages of development (idea, prototype, pre-commercial and market ready). See https://hih.ie/engage/innovation-portal .
