The Conference
Why attend the Excellence in Waste Management for the NHS in England Conference?
Knowledge Sharing & Best Practices:
- Learning from Success: Listen to the Award winners from 2024 who will present detailed case studies of their projects. Providing attendees with real-life insights into successful waste management initiatives that are already making a measurable impact.
- Inspiring Future Change: Sharing these best practices creates an opportunity for other Trusts to learn and implement similar projects, fostering continuous improvement across the NHS and promoting the development of innovative waste management strategies.
- CPD Certified: Attendees will gain insights from industry experts on reducing waste, recycling and innovative solutions that are underdevelopment. All sessions will be CPD certified contributing to your professional development and equipping you with the knowledge to implement effective waste reduction strategies within your own Trusts.
Greater Engagement for Sponsors and Exhibitors:
- Maximising Visibility for Sponsors: Sponsors not only gain exposure during the awards ceremony but also throughout the day at the conference. This allows them to showcase their products, services, and innovations to a highly engaged and targeted audience of NHS professionals.
- Face-to-Face Networking: The exhibition hall will provide an ideal platform for suppliers, innovators, and Trusts to network, build relationships, and discuss future collaborations. This extended interaction is invaluable for sponsors and exhibitors who are looking to engage decision-makers in the healthcare sector.
2025 Conference Programme
Under Construction
- 8:30 am -
- 9:15 am
- Coffee & Registration
- 9:15 am -
- 9:25 am
- Welcome

Liam Hogg
Head of Waste and Resource
NHS England
Head of Waste and Resource
NHS England
- 9:30 am -
- 10:15 am
- Designing for a Circular Future: Transforming Waste Management in the NHS
- This panel session will explore the journey toward a circular economy in NHS waste management, focusing on innovative strategies and sustainable practices that reduce environmental impact. The discussion will feature Professor Shahin Rahimifard from Loughborough University, who is collaborating with the Department of Health and Social Care on the groundbreaking "Design for Life" project. Together, the panel will share insights on policy, procurement, and practical implementation, offering attendees valuable knowledge on leveraging design innovation and strategic collaboration to achieve lasting change in waste management practices.

Fiona Daly
Deputy Director of Estates
NHS England
Deputy Director of Estates
NHS England

Professor Shahin Rahimifard
Principal Investigator Circular Economy for Small Medical Devices (ReMed)
Louthborough University
Principal Investigator Circular Economy for Small Medical Devices (ReMed)
Louthborough University

Liam Hogg
Head of Waste and Resource
NHS England
Head of Waste and Resource
NHS England

Nicole Fletcher
Head of Net Zero and Sustainable Procurement
NHS England
Head of Net Zero and Sustainable Procurement
NHS England

Michael Hopkinson
Head of Supply Resilience and Sustainability
Department of Health and Social Care
Head of Supply Resilience and Sustainability
Department of Health and Social Care
- 10:15 am -
- 10:45 am
- Survey-Driven Strategies for Safer, Greener Healthcare.
- This Stericycle session will bring fresh insights from British and Irish healthcare professionals uncovering their perception of safety and sustainability in the workplace. This session explores unexpected results, emerging challenges and practical opportunities that demonstrate how environmentally conscious approaches can improve care, protect staff and build resilience. A compelling session for everyone committed to shaping a safer, more sustainable future in healthcare.

Jenny McGuckin
Head of NHS Accounts
Stericycle
Head of NHS Accounts
Stericycle
- 10:45 am -
- 11:30 am
- Coffee & Networking
- 11:30 am -
- 12:00 pm
- 2024 Winner: Best Waste Reduction of Single Use Items of the Year - From Disposable to Sustainable: RJAH’s Award-Winning Shift
- The RJAH catering team has been lauded for their pioneering efforts in becoming a ‘single-use free’ service. Through bold leadership and collaboration with key stakeholders, they have successfully eliminated disposable cups, snack pots, and takeaway containers from their operations. The team has shared their innovative approach with peers across the Integrated Care System (ICS) and the wider health service, setting a powerful example for sustainability in healthcare.

Sian Langford
Facilities Manager
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Facilities Manager
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- 12:00 am -
- 12:30 pm
- Sustainable Healthcare Waste Management
- Graeme Knight explores innovative strategies and practical solutions for sustainable NHS waste management, supporting greener healthcare and operational efficiency.

Graeme Knight
UK Sales Director
B&M Waste Ltd
UK Sales Director
B&M Waste Ltd
- 12:30 pm -
- 1:00 pm
- Making a Material Difference to Waste
- As rules around recycling evolve and as the cost of packaging compliance and waste disposal increases, Biffa will look at how we can mitigate these obstacles. Our session will focus on future proofing materials further up the supply chain, making sense of the next five years of legislative change and a renewed ambition in controlling the cost of waste for the NHS.

Debra Macey
Senior Majors BDM
Biffa
Senior Majors BDM
Biffa

Roger Wright
Waste Strategy & Packaging Manager
Biffa
Waste Strategy & Packaging Manager
Biffa
- 1:00 pm -
- 2:00 pm
- Lunch & Networking
- 2:00 pm -
- 2:30 pm
- 2024 Winner: Best Waste Management Innovation of the Year - Smart Waste: How Manchester Used AI to Tackle Clinical Waste
- Manchester University NHS Trust has demonstrated outstanding innovation through their collaboration between the Sustainability, Waste, and Digital Estates Teams. By harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI), they created a live waste weights dashboard for clinical waste streams, effectively addressing the challenges of monitoring waste volumes in England’s largest acute hospital trust. This ground-breaking solution not only tracks waste weights collected from multiple sites in real-time but also significantly reduces administration time, enhances legal compliance, and improves supplier performance through smarter contract management. By focusing on robust waste data tracking and increasing the proportion of healthcare waste collected as offensive waste, this initiative exemplifies how national waste management strategies can be effectively implemented at the local level, making a meaningful impact on environmental sustainability.

Kevin Spink
Head of Waste & Resources
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Head of Waste & Resources
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
- 2:30 am -
- 3:00 pm
- 2024 Winner: Best Waste Management Innovation of the Year - Waste on the Move: How EEAST Cut Costs Through Collaboration
- In June 2024, the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) launched a pilot project in collaboration with two acute hospitals aimed at transforming healthcare waste management. The initiative arose from discussions with NHS England, highlighting that approximately 60% of the cost of EEAST’s clinical waste contract stems from transport fees. By leveraging the hospitals’ waste stream, EEAST contributes only a small percentage of their daily volumes, resulting in significant cost savings.

Beth Owen
Facilities Manager
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Facilities Manager
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
- 3:00 pm -
- 3:30 pm
- Leading the Way: How NHS Waste Champions Drove Real Change
- This session will showcase the Gold Winners from the 2024 Waste Management Team of the Year and Waste Management Champion of the Year, providing valuable insights into the strategies, challenges, and innovations that led to their success. - Award-Winning Strategies in Action – A deep dive into the initiatives that made these winners stand out, from process improvements to staff engagement and sustainability outcomes. - Driving Cultural Change – How leadership, collaboration, and communication have been instrumental in embedding best practices and fostering a sustainability-focused culture - Overcoming Barriers to Success – Key challenges faced and how they were tackled, including funding constraints, staff engagement, and operational hurdles. - Looking to the Future, Lessons learned and how these award-winning initiatives can be scaled or replicated across the NHS. This session will be an inspirational and practical discussion, providing attendees with real-world examples of how outstanding waste management can drive both environmental and operational benefits within healthcare estates.

Liam Hogg
Head of Waste and Resource
NHS England
Head of Waste and Resource
NHS England

Jason Mitchell
Waste Manager
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS FT
Waste Manager
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS FT

Matthew Quinton
Environment Manager (Sustainability & Waste)
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Environment Manager (Sustainability & Waste)
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- 3:30 pm -
- 3:40 pm
- Closing Remarks

Liam Hogg
Head of Waste and Resource
NHS England
Head of Waste and Resource
NHS England
- 6:30 pm -
- 7:00 pm
- Drinks reception for the Awards Ceremony
- Please note the awards ceremony is by invitation only - if you wish to attend please contact us at [email protected]
Our Speakers
- Beth Owen
- Facilities Manager
- East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
- Debra Macey
- Senior Majors BDM
- Biffa
- Fiona Daly
- Deputy Director of Estates
- NHS England
- Graeme Knight
- UK Sales Director
- B&M Waste Ltd
- Jason Mitchell
- Waste Manager
- The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS FT
- Jenny McGuckin
- Head of NHS Accounts
- Stericycle
- Kevin Spink
- Head of Waste & Resources
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
- Liam Hogg
- Head of Waste and Resource
- NHS England
- Matthew Quinton
- Environment Manager (Sustainability & Waste)
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Michael Hopkinson
- Head of Supply Resilience and Sustainability
- Department of Health and Social Care
Under Construction
Registration
Private Or Public Sector ?
Private Sector:
Conference & Exhibition Pass
Standard rate £249 +VAT
Free for NHS Staff:
Conference & Exhibition Pass
Refreshments and Lunch
Awards Ceremony
Thursday, 2nd October 2025
Royal Armouries,
Leeds
LS10 1LT