Press release: Six out of ten NHS trusts are making plans to tackle climate change

07 Apr 2008

An NHS Confederation poll reveals that the majority of NHS managers - 60 per cent - are developing plans to reduce carbon emissions in the health service. The NHS Confederation, which represents over 95 per cent of all NHS organisations, announces the results of a member survey to mark World Health Day, 7 April 08.  The theme protecting health from climate change puts health at the centre of the global debate about climate change.
The survey shows that most trusts - 55 per cent - were confident that they could reduce energy consumption and 43 per cent thought they were likely to increase the energy efficiency of their estates. However, only one in five thought they would be likely to invest in alternative energy sources such as renewable schemes or combined heat and power plants.

The NHS Confederation report published last June, Taking the temperature: towards an NHS response to global warming,  (PDF) showed that the NHS has a major role to play in tackling climate change.  A survey conducted by Ipsos MORI reveals that 63 per cent of the public agree that the NHS should do more to reduce its carbon footprint, and there is already excellent work happening on the ground. 

The report said that a key question for NHS boards to ask themselves was whether they were working collaboratively with other local leaders to tackle climate change.  All organisations that responded to the recent survey said that they are either working with local government or in discussion to achieve this.  NHS bodies are also developing their climate change strategies with help from organisations like the Carbon Trust and the Sustainable Development Commission.

The impact of climate change on the general health of the UK population will be a significant additional pressure on the NHS. A warmer, more variable climate may mean an increase in heat-related deaths, insect borne disease and respiratory disease.

Dame Gill Morgan, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation says:

"As one of the biggest employers in the UK and the biggest public service, our members understand their responsibility to address climate change, reduce the NHS' carbon foot-print and promote positive changes in attitude among its 1.3 million staff.

"There are some great innovations happening already in the service, but to make rapid progress the NHS will need clear leadership from the Government and Department of Health to prioritise climate change.  For example, we would welcome an extension of the Energy Fund, which would make it easier to use alterative sources of energy, which have high up-front costs. While there is lots of support and guidance the NHS can draw on, one clear national climate change strategy for the NHS would be another step in the right direction" 

Further information on climate change

ENDS

Notes for editors

1. Some 22% (88) of the NHS organisations in England responded to the questionnaire, which was distributed to NHS Confederation members in January. The NHS Confederation collected views from its members in light of the Government's Climate Change Bill coming into force this year, which proposes to create two statutory targets to reduce CO2 emissions, to 26-32 per cent below 1990 levels by 2010 and 60 per cent by 2050.

• 60 per cent of respondents said they were about to start or at the early stages of developing climate change strategies and action plans
• 55 per cent of respondents said they were  likely or very likely to reduce energy consumption
• 43 per cent said they were likely or very likely to increase energy efficiency in their estate
• 22 per cent said they were likely or very likely to invest in alternative energy sources
  

2. The NHS Confederation report Taking  the temperature is available here

3. Survey of NHS chief executives, chairs and PEC chairs (336 responses)
 Local NHS organisations should make reducing their carbon footprint a major priority
Strongly agree 23.8%
Tend to agree 46.1%
Neither agree nor disagree 15.8%
Tend to disagree 11.6%
Strongly disagree 2.7%

4. The NHS Confederation represents more than 95% of the organisations that make up the NHS. Its members include the majority of NHS acute trusts, ambulance trusts, foundation trusts, mental health trusts, primary care trusts, special health authorities and strategic health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; and health and social service trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.

Contact details

Contact Niall Smith 020 7074 3304 or 07767 770309, Ruth Kennedy 020 7074 3312 or 07884 47 3086, or Ruby Casey-Knight 020 7074 3306 or 07881 957305.  For out of hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500726.

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