Research Fellow in Sustainable Healthcare

The University of Sussex is hiring a Research Fellow in Sustainable Healthcare for a six-month project focused on the reuse of operating theatre textiles. The role involves exploring healthcare staff attitudes and barriers to reuse, conducting qualitative research, and producing a report and animation to support behavior change. The position is supervised by faculty members from Brighton & Sussex Medical School and the University of West London.
We are looking to recruit a fellow to support the work of the sustainable healthcare group at Brighton & Sussex Medical School. The post is offered initially for six months, but may be extended. The first six months of the post will be looking specifically to explore knowledge attitudes and behaviours of healthcare staff towards reuse of operating theatre têxtile, and ways to create change. Over 94 million single use drapes and gowns were purchased by the NHS prior to the Covid pandemic, which likely is more than double the volume of reusable equivalents used in the NHS. Reusable health têxtiles have a carbon footprint that is one third that of disposable, and this project will explore actual or perceived barriers to reuse. You will initially undertake qualitative work exploring perceptions knowledge and behaviours and a review of literature. We will produce a report and animation at the end of the project to support behaviour change. You will be supervised by Professor Mahmood Bhutta and Dr Elaney Youssef at BSMS, and Prof Jennie Wilson at the University of West London. You can find out more about our values and our EDI Strategy, Inclusive Sussex , on our webpages._