Sustainability toolkit launched for NHS

Article taken from Defra.  to view article, click here

Public and private organisations are grappling with how to deliver more for less, and many are discovering the benefits of taking up a sustainable development approach. The NHS is no exception.

In addition to trying to meet the country's health needs in difficult economic circumstances, many larger hospitals will need to comply with government's Carbon Reduction Commitment, which could see penalties for organisations lagging in improving their energy efficiency. 

One tool helping NHS trusts to get to grips with sustainability issues is the Good Corporate Citizenship model, a voluntary online toolkit developed by the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) to help cut their carbon footprints and improve environmental performance.

Already 70% of NHS trusts have signed up to the model which includes an interactive self-assessment tool helping NHS professionals to measure their current environmental performance. The model has been developed with the NHS Sustainable Development Unit and funded by the Department of Health.

Will Day, Chair of the SDC explained:

"The NHS accounts for five per cent of all traffic in England, consumes over £410 million worth of energy every year and has the largest property portfolio in Europe."

"Good Corporate Citizenship provides tools and information to make all areas of operations more sustainable and we've already seen it work. Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust multiplied their recycling by 15 times in a year, saving over £150,000 by diverting it from landfill and generating income from waste metal."

On the site is a forum for discussions, assessment tool and case studies. One example is South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust who divert 200 tonnes of domestic waste from landfill every year and have saved £200,000.

"We also know NHS organisations can make decisions that help to prevent illness in the populations they serve, reducing the cost of treatment in the longer term," says Day. "Often these decisions go hand in hand with improving the environment. For example, encouraging staff, visitors and some patients to walk or cycle can help reduce air pollution, carbon emissions, congestion and collisions, while improving people's fitness and tackling obesity."

"We want to see all trusts signed up to the Good Corporate Citizenship model because the emphasis it puts on transforming the NHS into a sustainable organisation can contribute to making the UK much more sustainable as a whole."

To find out more about the Good Corporate Citizenship model, click here

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