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Green Plan

Aspiring to provide sustainable healthcare 
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A Greener future for CLCH, our patients and communities

The Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service report highlighted the impacts of climate change. Without immediate action, we risk seeing an increase in major diseases, worsening mental health, and disruptions to patient care. The report outlines clear trajectories and actions for the entire NHS to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2045. 

At CLCH, we are fully committed to reducing our environmental impact and providing sustainable healthcare to ensure better health for future generations.

We have formed a strategic partnership with West London NHS Trust to focus on sustainability and the delivery of the NHS net zero plan. By working together, the two trusts are better positioned to tackle common challenges. The sustainability team operates as a shared partnership, with each trust maintaining its own executive Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) and sustainability committee. At CLCH, the Senior Responsible Officer for sustainability is Elizabeth Hale, Director of Communications and Improvement.

The Trust Board at CLCH places significant importance on environmental sustainability which is one of four strategic priorities outlined in the CLCH Integrated Strategy (2020-25). 

Our strategic priorities for 2020-25 include:

  • Leading in local systems
  • Integrating our services with partners
  • Putting our expertise and efficiencies to work
  • Ensuring a sustainable future

Our Green Plan

Welcome to Greener CLCH 2024-26, our second Trust-wide Green Plan, which was approved by the Trust Board in December 2023. It outlines our progress up to 2023 and reaffirms our commitment to reducing our environmental impact. As part of the “For a Greener NHS” programme, every Trust and Integrated Care System is required to develop a Green Plan that covers the following areas of focus:

  • Leadership, governance, and workforce
  • Sustainable Models of Care
  • Digital transformation
  • Medicines
  • Food and nutrition
  • Supply chain and procurement
  • Estates and Facilities
  • Travel and Transport
  • Adaptation

Read the CLCH Green Plan 2024-26 (pdf)

Delivering a net zero NHS sets out new targets for carbon reduction as well as a methodology for classifying carbon emissions. At CLCH we are on track to:

  • Reduce the emissions under our direct control by 47% compared with current levels by 2028 to 2032
  • Reduce the emissions we can influence by 73% compared to current levels by 2036 to 2039

The Trust’s NHS Carbon Footprint (emissions under our control) was calculated in line with the NHS Carbon Footprint methodology. The carbon footprint for the financial year 2022-23 was 5,824 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent ( tCO2e).

A graph of CLCH's carbon footprint in 2022-23.png

The NHS Carbon Footprint Plus, which also includes supply chain emissions, is estimated to add an additional 59,100 tonnes CO­2e according to our most recent assessment for 2019-20.

A graph of CLCH's carbon footprint plus.png

 

Following the assessment of the Trust's NHS Carbon Footprint carbon emissions, several pathway options were considered to achieve the net zero target. In November 2021, the Board approved an aspirational pathway with early investment and higher cumulative carbon savings. This reflects CLCH’s commitment to demonstrating strategic leadership in response to the urgency of the climate crisis. The chart below shows our net zero pathway for emissions under our direct control. 

A graph of CLCH's net zero pathway.png

We will engage and develop our workforce to achieve our sustainability goals.

We are committed to engaging and developing our workforce to achieve our sustainability goals.

The Trust has:

  • Established a Green Champions Network now with over 150 Green Champions across the Trust.
  • Launched two introductory e-learning modules: “Environmentally Sustainable Healthcare – Building a Net Zero NHS” and “Environmental Sustainability in Quality Improvement,” produced by NHS England.
  • Integrated sustainability into the CLCH corporate induction and the statutory mandatory training booklet.
  • Fully staffed Sustainability Team, shared between CLCH Trust and West London Trust.
  • Assessed staff satisfaction with the Green Plan's progress through our annual corporate satisfaction survey setting a target to increase satisfaction by 2% each year from a 2023 baseline of 83%.
  • Developed a marketplace on the Trust intranet for staff to exchange or sell unwanted items, reducing waste and promoting behaviour change.

We will continue to expand our Green Champions Network and enhance sustainability training to empower staff to initiate their own projects and champion best practices within their areas of work.

We will embed net zero principles throughout all clinical services, considering opportunities for carbon and waste reduction in the way care is delivered.

The Trust has:

  • Rolled out the Gloves Campaign in February 2024, which continues in collaboration with the communications team, infection prevention and control team, and clinical teams. The latest data from this campaign has shown a 26% reduction in the gloves we use. We will continue monitoring the reduction of unnecessary glove usage.
  • Enhanced green spaces for staff and patients at several sites.

We will continue to seek opportunities across all clinical services to deliver lower carbon care, for example, by:

  • Providing care closer to home.
  • Preventing high-carbon interventions, where appropriate.
  • Implementing lower-carbon interventions where they are clinically equivalent.

Reducing unwarranted variations in care delivery and outcomes that result in unnecessary increases in carbon emissions.

We will utilise digital technology and systems to improve our service delivery and resource management, thereby reducing carbon emissions.

The Trust has:

  • Launched initiatives to enhance patient access through digital means, including the digitalisation of appointment letters and the improvement of virtual care.   Virtual care projects, such as Virtual Wards, the E-scheduling tool, Islacare image handling, and EMIS and SystemOne mobile apps, among others, are led by the transformation team and aim to create and enhance virtual models of care by utilising cutting-edge digital tools.
  • Established a workstream to implement a desktop IT equipment power management system that turns off desktops when not in use (due to pilot in autumn 2024).

We will continue exploring ways to use digital technology to support our Green agenda.

We will reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality from business travel, staff commuting, and patient/visitor travel. This will be achieved by walking, cycling, or using public transport where possible and by switching to electric vehicles when car journeys are necessary.

The Trust has:

  • Achieved Gold Cycle Friendly Employer accreditation from Cycle UK at our 13 freehold sites.
  • Implemented an active travel program which includes an e-bike trial and a cycle-to-work scheme (purchase through salary sacrifice).
  • Improved facilities for cyclists, including secure cycle sheds, showers, bike repair stations, and lockers.
  • Installed 4 1 electric vehicle chargers across 9 sites.
  • Begun converting our pool cars to electric vehicles.
  • Transitioned our staff salary sacrifice scheme to pure electric vehicles, with 75% electric and 20% hybrid vehicles currently in use.

The Trust is developing a sustainable travel strategy to reduce emissions and improve air quality across all business travel and journeys to and from Trust sites. We will continue to expand our active travel program and support the transition to electric vehicles.

We will reduce carbon emissions from our buildings by improving energy efficiency, reducing energy usage, decarbonising heating and hot water systems, and designing sustainable buildings.

The Trust has:

  • Appointed a specialist building contractor to provide a high-level assessment for decarbonising our freehold sites.
  • Installed solar panels at six of our sites.
  • Added additional roof insulation at two of our largest sites, Parsons Green and Langley House.
  • Improved energy efficiency by installing LED lights 
  • Transitioned to purchasing 100% renewable electricity for all our freehold sites.
  • Initiated a project to install heat pumps at Langley House Community Hospital.
  • Installed recycling bins across all freehold sites as well as in many of our leasehold properties.

Over the next couple of years, our green estates project will lead the decarbonisation of our largest sites by installing solar panels, heat pumps, LED lighting, and insulation. We will assess opportunities across the rest of our estate and aim to install more solar panels. We will reduce carbon emissions and our use of natural resources by minimising our use of natural resources by reducing waste, supporting a circular economy, and adhering to the waste hierarchy. Additionally, we will seek to enhance our green spaces, to improve health and well-being for staff and service users while creating habitats for insects and supporting biodiversity.

We will reduce the carbon emissions related to (associated with) our prescribing and use of medicines. 

The Trust has:

  • Established a workstream to reduce the prescription of metered dose inhalers, successfully cutting carbon emissions from inhalers by a third since 2019/20 .

We will continue working with the pharmacy team to explore ways of reducing and recycling pharmaceutical waste.  Additionally, we will support e-prescribing projects, such as EMIS and SystmOne Mobile appointments, which aim to eliminate duplication, improve user experience, and maximise the use of clinical systems that are available to the Trust.

We will use our purchasing power to reduce carbon embedded in our supply chains.
The Trust has:

  • Adopted the NHS net zero procurement pathway  
  • Switched to 100% use of recycled paper.
  • Implemented procurement regulation PPN06/20 (social value) with 10% of the value of tenders assigned to social value, which includes environmental sustainability criteria. 
  • Implemented procurement regulation PPN06/21, which requires all contracts over £5m to have a carbon reduction plans.

We will work closely with the Northwest London procurement services to identify opportunities to reduce single-use items, minimise waste, and take steps to transition to circular opportunities (solutions).

We will reduce carbon emissions from the food we serve and ensure the provision of healthier, locally sourced and seasonal menus.  

The Trust has:

  • Issued communications to encourage staff to reduce meat consumption.

We will continue to explore ways to reduce the amount of meat served at our bedded units

We will seek to reduce the risk posed by climate change, such as severe weather, to our sites and business functions.  

The Trust has: 

  • Carried out a flood risk assessment at all our sites.
  • Drafted an adaptation plan, which is currently awaiting approval. The plan outlines how the Trust will mitigate the risks and effects of climate change and severe weather conditions on its operations infrastructure, patients, and staff. This includes addressing issues such as flooding or heat waves.