NHS hits carbon reduction targets

The NHS hit its carbon reduction targets for 2015, according to a report from the Sustainable Development Unit for NHS England and Public Health England.

The Sustainable Development in Health and Care Report found that the NHS reduced carbon emissions by 11 per cent between 2007 and 2015, exceeding its target of 10 per cent. The wider healthcare sector, including public health and social care, saw an even greater improvement with a reduction of 13 per cent.

Breaking down where these efficiencies were made, the report found that carbon emissions in relation to procurement were reduced by 16 per cent, with travel emissions dropping by five per cent and energy emissions by four per cent.

These improvements have also led to considerable cost savings for the NHS through increased efficiency, with actions such as using combined heat and power systems and staff behaviour change programmes contributing energy savings of £25 million in the last year.

The report notes that these reductions are a notable achievement considering that health and care activity has increased by 18 per cent since 2007, but warns more still needs to be done to reach the next target of a 34 per cent reduction by 2020.