Supply Chain and Procurement
The NHS supply chain accounts for approximately 62% of total carbon emissions, and this figure is probably larger for an acute hospital. It is therefore a priority focus area in our plan to reduce our carbon footprint and improve our resilience. The Central Commercial Function issued the Net Zero Supplier Roadmap which, along with the Evergreen Supplier Assessment is mainly aimed at providing better information for Procurement Departments to make more sustainable choices.
Where we are now:
The UHN Deputy Head of Procurement works closely with the Associate Director of Infection Prevention and the Head of Sustainability at NGH on a number of innovative replacements for single use items and will replicate this work through with the KGH based procurement team.
KGH has adopted the requirement to include 10% of social value in all weightings for tenders. However, there is no mechanism in place to measure this or ensure that all the optimum outcome for Northamptonshire is subsequently achieved.
UHN are actively involved in the NHS Midlands Clinical Procurement & Sustainability Group and have delivered seven from the nine clinical projects to date. UHN is also on the advisory DHSC Design for Life Priority Adoption working group which looking at how the NHS nationally moves at pace with products that are within a circular economy.
Due to the wide ranging nature of the Procurement activities, there is an overlap with the Sustainable Models of Care section of this plan.
Our aims are to:
• Optimise, monitor and report Social Value from suppliers
• Measure the carbon emissions from the supply chain and reduce that from the top ten consumables.
• Make reusable the default option for consumables and reduce single use items purchased
• Embed Circular Economy and sustainability into procurement decisions
Action |
Financial Investment |
When |
Responsible Department |
| Implement a social value platform | Medium | 2026 | Procurement / Sustainability |
| Implement a Walking Aid reuse scheme | Low | 2026 | Therapies / Waste |
| Introduce reusable drapes and gowns | Low | 2027 | Surgery / Procurement |
| Scope 3 emissions measurement completed | Low | 2025 | Finance |
| Ensure suppliers are compliant with the Evergreen Assessment | Low | 2026 | Procurement / Sustainability |
| Understand carbon footprint of gold suppliers (over £500,000 spend) | Low | 2027 | Procurement / Sustainability |
| Obtain and monitor supplier carbon reduction plans | Low | 2026 | Procurement / Sustainability |
| Configure Theatre packs to remove unwanted items | Low | 2027 | Surgery / Procurement |
| Move Theatre sets to reusable where appropriate | Medium | 2027 | Surgery / Procurement |
Measurement
Social Value report
Carbon emissions from spends
Case studies and carbon impact from single use removal projects
Procurement data