Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust launches action plan to help tackle climate change

It sets out the commitment of the trust to reaching net zero for its carbon emissions. The NHS currently contributes to around 4-5% of the UK’s total carbon emissions.

The three-year plan incorporates sustainability pledges on different areas of the trust including buildings and estates, travel, waste, healthcare and people.

The net zero by 2040 target is for the carbon emissions that the trust controls such as reducing fossil fuel use, using green electricity and producing less waste.

A net zero by 2045 target is in place for the carbon emissions that the trust can influence. This includes encouraging environmentally-friendly commuting for staff and buying medicines and equipment from suppliers who also want to reduce their carbon footprint.

Clare Winter, head of sustainability at Northumbria Healthcare, said: “We’re delighted to have launched our new sustainability action plan. Our key action areas support our target to be net zero by 2040.

“Recent projects such as the major decarbonisation work at North Tyneside General Hospital shows how heavily we invest in our estates to make them as sustainable as possible. However, we understand that we can do more which is why our plan outlines the actions we will take on our other key areas.

“As a trust, we are very much aware of the impact we have on our environment and we are committed to incorporating these pledges into our core business activity to work towards a greener Northumbria Healthcare.”

More information about the action plan is available at www.northumbria.nhs.uk/about-us/sustainability