University Hospitals Dorset launches its first Green Plan on national Clean Air Day

Thursday 17 June 2021

LtoR: John Lelliott OBE (Chair of UHD Sustainability Committee), Debbie Fleming (Chief Executive), David Moss (Chairman)

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (UHD) has launched its own 'Green Plan' on the date of national Clean Air Day (17 June) – an annual event to build awareness of how air pollution affects our health.

The strategy puts UHD on a path to having 'net zero' carbon emissions by 2040, in line with NHS England's carbon neutral target. It also commits the organisation to deliver against all of the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 under the NHS sustainable assessment framework.

To organise its activities the hospital has created 10 'areas of action' for reducing the organisation's impact on the environment in areas such as waste, travel and energy usage. Targets will also be updated regularly as the trust continues to work towards the key goals for 2026.

Recent achievements include creating a haven for wildlife at its green flag award-winning lake and grounds at Royal Bournemouth Hospital, offsetting paper consumption which has enabled the Trust via a scheme to plant over two and a half thousand trees in Madagascar and further reductions in CO2 emissions across its hospital sites - now approximately 24% lower than in 2012.

In a specially commissioned video to launch the Green Plan, Debbie Fleming, UHD's chief executive, said:

"As one of the largest organisations in Dorset, with a significant economic, social, and environmental impact, it's really important that we work in a way that has a positive effect on the communities we serve and that we protect the environment which sustains us.

"Our plan will ensure that all our activities are focused on benefiting and safeguarding our environment – with everyone in the Trust having a part to play."

Richard Renaut, UHD's chief strategy and transformation officer, added:

"The Trust board were unanimous in their decision to approve this strategy and to champion the importance of working towards greener goals as we make future decisions.

"We look forward to working with all our staff, patients, suppliers and partners to deliver this Green Plan and making our contribution to long term environmental sustainability."

The UHD Sustainable Development Strategy 2021-2026 and accompanying video are available from the sustainability section on the UHD website: https://www.uhd.nhs.uk/about-us/sustainability

Members of UHD sustainability team