Gloucestershire Hospitals invests in green technology for maternity care

The Trust has introduced an Entonox Processing Unit designed to counteract the harmful effects of nitrous oxide found in Entonox, a commonly used pain relief gas in labour and delivery suites.

Entonox, also known as ‘gas and air’, is a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen and is widely used to help manage pain during labour. While Entonox is safe for women in labour, long-term exposure in confined spaces can pose health risks to staff. Entonox also has a significant carbon footprint, with its use at the Trust contributing the equivalent of approximately 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, the same as driving over 7 million miles in a car.

The new unit collects nitrous oxide that women in labour breathe out, significantly reducing it from the delivery room. It then converts the gas into harmless substances, creating a cleaner and safer space to work and reducing its environmental impact. For women in labour, their treatment is exactly the same, however, Entonox is delivered through a mask rather than a mouthpiece.

Joanne Cowan, Head of Midwifery at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said; “We are incredibly proud to be making maternity care more sustainable. This investment in environmental technology not only ensures a safer environment for our midwives, but also contributes to our commitment to tackle climate change.”

This new technology is part of a wider effort to reduce the environmental impact of hospitals and anaesthetic gases. It also forms part of the Trust’s sustainability strategy, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the NHS’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.