NHS LPP answers call for a greener NHS

Following the launch on Saturday by NHS England of the ‘For a greener NHS’ campaign, NHS London Procurement Partnership (NHS LPP) is answering the call for evidence and ideas by sharing knowledge on its sustainability projects including: finding new opportunities to introduce green transport and energy in the NHS, developing pan-London systems to reduce and process clinical waste and working with suppliers with strong environmental values

NHS LPP is a non-profit membership organisation which provides advice to the NHS across London for everything it buys or spends money on: from medicines to buildings, patient transport to anaesthetic gases and waste services. Its focus on supporting the NHS to provide services that are both the very best for patients and are sustainable, means it already has a number of green projects underway, with more in the pipeline.

Patient transport suppliers working with NHS LPP must already sign up to a charter to commit to transitioning their fleets to lower emission vehicles as soon as possible. NHS LPP is working with Greater London Authority and has already begun collecting data from trusts across London on the number of patient vehicles, types, transmissions and mileage in order to calculate the carbon emissions for each trust and build a picture of possible opportunities. 

Data gathered by NHS LPP from its trusts across London is also being used to identify best practice in waste management and also monitor spikes in the use of utilities such as electricity or water so that waste or leaks can be quickly located and fixed. Teams from across NHS LPP also meet regularly with suppliers to find out what innovations are coming and may be able to identifying suppliers that can provide products like surgical equipment in less plastic and packaging. 

Michelle McCann, Category Director, Estates, Facilities and Professional Services Team said:

“We’re creating the practical pathways that will make things happen. For example, some types of patient transport vehicles – such as wheelchair accessible vehicles – are not yet available in an electric format.  The data we collect will show manufacturers what our requirements are and will help us to encourage them to meet those requirements by introducing them to the market sooner – and at volume so it’s affordable for the NHS.

“For exceptionally heavy vehicles with a lot of equipment, electric may not be appropriate, so we’ll also be able to identify where the use of biofuels and hydrogen might provide a better alternative – and importantly we’ll be able to measure and deliver data on the results.

“We look forward to contributing to the ‘For a greener NHS’ campaign to help the NHS make a real difference.”

Future projects for NHS LPP also include investigating how health care providers can buy power direct from green energy suppliers such as solar farms and providing a route to market for the design for new hospitals to ensure they are built sustainably and with a zero carbon footprint.  

Michael Pace, Managing Director, NHS LPP said:

“With the daily pressures on health services, we know that for many providers the environmental factors that affect us all can sometimes be on the ‘need to do, but not now’ list. We can provide the solution by doing the hard work for them.

“We’re inside the NHS and have access to its business data, so we’re also uniquely placed to help health care providers and NHS England identify new opportunities and help them put good ideas into practice.”

For more information contact the NHS LPP media team on 07472 478878