Sustainability Plan - Where we are and where we want to go

Sustainable Models of Care

The majority of carbon emissions from the NHS are related to the care of patients. The Greener NHS pathway to net zero shows that a large proportion of the emissions reductions will be because of changes in care pathways, innovation and clinical leadership. In order to have a more sustainable and resilient hospital it is essential to embed net zero across all clinical services.  

Our aims are to:
•    Continue to reduce wasted resources within models of care
•    Understand the carbon hotspots within care pathways
•    Adopt lower models of care and undertake projects focussed on:

  • Critical and perioperative care
  • Urgent and emergency care
  • Diagnostic tests and procedures
  • Medical pathways with a focus on acute or long term conditions e.g. renal, diabetes, cardiovascular

Sustainable Models of Care Action Plan

Action

Financial Investment

When

Responsible Department
Introduce reusable holloware to reduce single use plastics Medium 2027 Theatres / Sustainability
Calculate the carbon footprint of the maternity models of care using the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare calculator Low 2027 Maternity
Run the Green Team competition Medium 2025 Sustainability
Introduce hybrid instruments into surgery Medium 2026 Procurement / Theatres
Create a Green Assessment Framework for Wards Low 2027 Nursing / Sustainability
Include Sustainability in Quality Improvement training Low 2026 Quality Improvement
Undertake a minimum of six nursing and Allied Health Professionals led projects a year Low 2028 Nursing / Sustainability
Introduce all applicable items from the Green Theatre Checklist Low 2027 Theatres / Sustainability
Achieve Bronze level on the Green Emergency Department Framework Low 2026 Medicine and Urgent Care
Use examples from Centre for Sustainable Healthcare and Get It Right First Time within both Quality Improvement projects and clinical audits Low 2027 Quality Improvement/ Audit / Sustainability
Create a library of case studies for reference and teaching Low 2026 Sustainability

Measurement

Procurement data single use plastics in theatres
Output carbon footprinting maternity
Green Team competition final
Number of Quality Improvement projects carried out
Case studies from green projects