Dorset County Hospital staff to 'compete' in sustainability
Five Dorset NHS organisations are joining forces to move towards net zero
A sustainability programme by NHS staff across Dorset has been launched, with aims to help their respective Trusts go greener.
Dorset County Hospital is one of five local NHS organisations to have signed up - along with Dorset HealthCare, the South Western Ambulance Trust, NHS Dorset CCG and the University Hospital Dorset in Bournemouth.
24,000 staff will be involved, encouraging them to make lifestyle changes to become more sustainable and eco-friendly.
Ideas include car sharing, switching off electricals, following a low carbon diet, and bringing a reusable cup to avoid single-use plastic.
The 'Ecoearn' programme will then allow people to compete in Trust specific teams and earn ‘Green Points’ for their positive actions, with the top performing individuals winning vouchers to spend at local and sustainable shops around Dorset.
Stuart Lane, Sustainability and Carbon Manager at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, says:
“We are pleased to have launched the first collaborative sustainability programme of its kind, which will assist us all as a group of Dorset healthcare organisations to move cohesively towards our goal of net zero. The Ecoearn programme is already causing a buzz amongst staff and we’re excited to start competing for Green Points.”
The programme is provided by sustainability engagement company Jump, and will be accessed through a bespoke website and app created uniquely for the Dorset NHS Partners.
That will launch later this month.
The programme will play an integral role in Dorset healthcare’s sustainability strategy for 2020-2025 and the wider NHS plan to reach net zero by 2045.