Climate Action at Sherwood
We launched our Climate Action Project Group to commit the Trust to becoming sustainable, including reducing the impact of climate change on our community.
Our Climate Action Project Group continues to deliver our sustainability agenda and our Green Plan sets our ambitions to reduce our carbon footprint and environmental impact of our services.
We continue to work with our Mid-Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Partnership (ICP), The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care System (ICS), local councils, businesses, public sector and other NHS organisations to make positive impacts on the local environment and local air quality. We will continue to collaborate with other organisations to achieve these common goals.
Click on the sub-pages below to find out how Sherwood is supporting Climate Action Change and Sustainability for its colleagues, patients and community.
Sherwood Forest Hospitals’ climate team celebrates two years of acclaimed sustainable action for its local community, and the planet
The Climate Action Team at Sherwood Forest Hospitals is celebrating two years of climate action at the Trust’s hospital sites and surrounding local community.
Read more about their achievements here.
Backed by Trust Directors and Executives, the Trust is one of eight NHS organisations to officially recognise the affect climate change has on health by signing the Climate Emergency UK declaration.
The declaration supports Sherwood Forest Hospitals’ Green Plan commitments, which include:
- Reducing carbon emissions from energy consumption by 80% by 2025.
- Aim to cut patient transport mileage by 25% by 2025 to improve local air quality and reduce the health impacts of air pollution on children and adults.
- Reduce fossil fuel use on their estates over the next five years, with the long-term goal of phasing out use before 2040.
- Reduce their overall waste volume by 7% per year to 2025 and continue their zero-to-landfill commitment.
- Cease purchase of single-use plastic stirrers and straws, single-use plastic cutlery, plates or single use cups made of expanded polystyrene or oxo-degradable plastics by April 2022.
Planting hope for the future – an ‘orchard’ of 200 trees being planted across Nottinghamshire
The Hope Orchard was initiated by Sherwood Forest Hospital’s climate action team as an initiative to draw a link between health and the environment. On Monday 22 March, Sherwood Forest Hospitals planted fruit trees on each of their sites (King’s Mill Hospital, Newark Hospital and Mansfield Community Hospital) as part of a commitment to a lower carbon future.
The hospital trust was joined in the movement by schools, public sector partners, individuals and the Woodland Trust, all planting fruit trees as part of a co-ordinated day of proactive climate change action.
The Climate Action Team at Sherwood Forest Hospitals is celebrating being finalists and recognised in the Environmental Sustainability Award at November's HSJ (health service journal) awards.
The team, which was established in January 2020, includes 25 Sherwood members of staff from various roles and backgrounds supporting climate action and sustainability in their local Trust and community.
Recognised for their innovative efforts and dedication towards climate action, the team has coordinated multiple campaigns and initiatives during the group’s infancy, challenging the Trust’s Board with climate targets that will support the NHS’s goal of being net-zero by 2040.
Doctor Helena Clements, Clinical Climate Lead and Consultant Paediatrician recognises the success of being finalists at this year’s HSJ Awards and celebrates the group’s remarkable achievements. She said: “To be recognised in the annual HSJ Awards, alongside other NHS Trusts and services all working towards net-zero and a brighter future, is fantastic and I feel very proud of the group and what we have achieved together.
“Since forming the group in January 2020, we’ve had enormous backing and support from our senior leaders and Trust Board, the largest being the creation and commitment to our Green Plan, which recognises the link between climate and health and outlines some substantial targets that will support the NHS’s net-zero commitment. This is only the beginning for the Climate Action Team at Sherwood, as we continue to work on making Sherwood more sustainable for our colleagues and patients, whilst continuing to deliver outstanding care.”
Climate change poses a major threat to our health. Tackling climate change through reducing harmful carbon emissions will improve health and save lives.
Here in the UK, air pollution is the single greatest environmental threat to human health, accounting for 1 in 20 deaths. Reducing emissions will mean fewer cases of asthma, cancer and heart disease.
That’s why, in October 2020, the NHS became the world’s first health service to commit to a target of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
We’re already on the way to building a greener NHS. Since 2010, the NHS has cut its carbon emissions by 30%. On year on from setting our net zero ambition, the NHS is on track to reduce it’s emissions equivalent to powering 1.1. million homes for a year.
Thanks to the efforts of staff up and down the country, we are reducing emissions across medicines, transport and healthcare buildings. We’ve also found lower-carbon ways to care.
Crucially, many of these changes are already improving care today, as well as the health and wellbeing of staff, patients and the public.
The actions we are taking are adding up. But we have further to go, if we are to improve health now and for generations to come.
The united nations climate action conference – COP26 – will provide a moment for nations to come together and raise their ambitions. We have the chance to join in and inspire raised ambition, within and beyond the NHS.
Together, with the support of our 1.3 million NHS people, we can achieve more.
‘Together for our planet’
One year on since the NHS became the world’s first health service to commit to net zero emissions, and in the lead up to COP26 (Climate Change Conference of the Parties) we’re sharing some of the NHS’s key successes throughout the past year.
Did you know… the NHS healthcare estates and facilities account for around 15% of all NHS carbon emissions?
Action to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy emissions within the NHS Estates is expected to deliver a 210 ktCO2e reduction during 2021/22.
This is equivalent to taking 100,000 cars off the road for a year or powering 190,000 homes with electricity for a year.
Did you know… approximately 3.5% (9.5 billion miles) of all road travel in England relates to patients, visitors, staff and suppliers to the NHS, contributing around 14% of the system’s total emissions – 4% of which is within the control of the NHS directly?
Progress towards an entirely zero emission NHS fleet is gaining pace, with reductions of 112 ktCO2e expected in 2021/22 as a result of rapid improvements in ultra-low emission vehicle technology and a shift towards greener travel options.
This is equivalent to powering 100,000 homes with electricity for a year or taking 54,000 cars off the road.
Did you know… medicines account for 25% of all NHS carbon emissions, 5% of which is within our direct control. Inhalers and anaesthetic gases are together responsible for 5% of the NHS Carbon Footprint Plus?
Action to support low-carbon inhaler use and reduce use of high-carbon anaesthetic gases where clinically suitable, is expected to deliver a reduction of 258 ktCO2e in 2021/22. In primary care, patients will be supported to use lower carbon inhalers, where this is the right for their condition.
This overall reduction is equivalent to taking 120,000 cars off the road for a year or powering 230,000 homes with electricity for a year.
Did you know we can’t reach net zero without the support of our 80,000 suppliers?
NHS England has outlined a new roadmap to help NHS suppliers join us on our journey to net zero. Find out more here: Greener NHS.