Aylesbury's NHS trust launches 'ambitious' plan to be carbon neutral by 2040

Aylesbury's NHS trust has revealed a new strategy to become carbon neutral by 2040 on Friday (November 5).

Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust has published its carbon neutral game plan, which is in line with the NHS national net zero declaration.

The national body has revealed a new roadmap to becoming carbon neutral by 2040, while world leaders wrangle over climate change goals and actions at the COP26 conference in Glasgow.

An NHS spokesperson has described the new strategy laid out by the trust last week, as 'clear and measurable'.

An NHS spokesperson emphasised the following actions as things the trust is doing, or will soon be doing to improve its carbon footprint:

-Installed its first no fossil fuel heat pump to heat the education centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital

-All old light fittings will shortly be moved to LED

-Designated a project team to work through the elimination of single use plastics

-In 2022, the trust will be installing its own anaerobic digester and onsite clinical waste treatment plant at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, which will reduce general and recyclable waste by 80%, clinical waste by 80%, and reduce clinical waste bin collections down from 19 to three times per week.

An NHS spokesperson said: "The effects of climate change are far reaching and impact the foundations of population health as well as health on a more individual level. Without change there will be increases in the intensity of heatwaves which increase heat stress and related conditions, and heavier precipitation events with increase in associated water borne diseases.

"Data from 2019 demonstrated that the trust generates 40, 986 tonnes of CO2 per annum – about half of which is energy usage, use of medical devices, medical gases and travel.

"The trust is aiming to reduce this by 80% by 2032 and achieve zero carbon by 2040. This will be delivered through a combination of direct interventions to reduce emissions and off-setting."

Neil Macdonald, chief executive at the Bucks trust added: "The effects of climate change are of course even more important for us in what we do given its impact on both population and individual health. The move to carbon zero is likely to have quite an impact on the operations of the trust over the next few years.

“It’s an ambitious plan but, as an organisation, we are committed to achieving zero carbon by 2040. Some of the interventions needed are directly in our control, such as zero emission vehicles, more efficient and greener energy usage, and some will be delivered through national schemes.

"Ultimately, everyone – our teams, colleagues, partners, suppliers and patients – will need to pull together to make this happen.”