Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust publishes Net Zero Roadmap
The Trust has set out objectives to achieve its carbon net zero goal by 2040
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has published its Net Zero Roadmap, in line with the NHS national net zero declaration.
As world leaders wrangle over climate change goals and actions at the COP26 conference in Glasgow, the Trust has set out clear and measurable objectives to achieve its carbon net zero goal by 2040.
The effects of climate change are far reaching and impact the foundations of population health as well as health on a more individual level.
Without change there will be increases in the intensity of heatwaves which increase heat stress and related conditions, and heavier precipitation events with increase in associated water borne diseases.
Data from 2019 demonstrated that the Trust generates 40, 986 tonnes of CO2 per annum – about half of which is energy usage, use of medical devices, medical gases and travel.
The Trust is aiming to reduce this by 80% by 2032 and achieve zero carbon by 2040.
This will be delivered through a combination of direct interventions to reduce emissions and off-setting.
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust are currently taking steps to reach their net zero target, such as changing all light fittings to LED, and have designated a project team to work on moving them away from single use plastics.
They have also installed their first no fossil fuel heat pump to heat the education centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
In 2022, the Trust will be installing its own anaerobic digester and onsite clinical waste treatment plant at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, which will reduce general and recyclable waste by 80%, clinical waste by 80%, and reduce clinical waste bin collections down from 19 to 3 times per week.
Neil Macdonald, Chief Executive at the Trust, said:
"The effects of climate change are of course even more important for us in what we do given its impact on both population and individual health.
"The move to carbon zero is likely to have quite an impact on the operations of the Trust over the next few years.
"It’s an ambitious plan but, as an organisation, we are committed to achieving zero carbon by 2040.
"Some of the interventions needed are directly in our control, such as zero emission vehicles, more efficient and greener energy usage, and some will be delivered through national schemes.
"Ultimately, everyone – our teams, colleagues, partners, suppliers and patients – will need to pull together to make this happen."
Ali Williams, one of the Executive Directors of the Trust, said:
"I think the thing that did surprise us though was actually only 25% of that amount is actually under our control so while there is a lot we can do and get on with it there is a lot we can't do we can only influence which we were quite surprised at.
"I look forward to 12 months time with the initiatives we've got in now, because we make such an impact on our community with those things so I think it's very exciting."
To help the Trust move to net zero, they are asking local businesses to help them find a more sustainable plastic option, as they have been using over 6,000 plastic patient bags a year within hospitals.
Ali Williams said:
"If there are new technologies and ideas that people have got, that they want to bring forward, we'd be really keen to hear from people.
"The more we can work with local communities on these programmes the better."