strategy document
All but the smallest components of the NHS will already have an energy manager in place, but
energy only accounts for 22% all the carbon emissions being generated - about 3.5 million tonnes .
savings as being the biggest driver there. In
the larger bodies, there are dedicated envi-
Experience from public sector
ronmental managers or people with expertise NHS institutions may be looking at sustain-
in the field: they are perhaps better placed to ability in this depth for the first time, but there
implement the recommendations and could is experience elsewhere in the public sector
therefore realise a more immediate benefit.” to draw upon.
All but the smallest components of the Serv- UK local authorities have had something of
ice will already have an energy manager in a head start over the NHS in their approach to
place, but energy is only one aspect of the carbon reduction: the Carbon Trust is embark-
total carbon reduction issue. ing on the seventh round of its Local Authori-
The strategy document talks in terms of just ties Carbon Management (LACM) Programme,
22% of all carbon being attributed to energy which will have involved a total of some 300
usage; that translates into about 3.5 million councils and related public sector institutions
tonnes at 2007 levels. such as National Parks.
The energy teams will be required to make By all accounts, that exercise has been suc-
an important contribution to the total reduc- cessful, as much in establishing the processes
tion but each Trust seeking to act on Saving and disciplines needed to achieve long term
Carbon, Improving Health has to look across the carbon savings as in the raw tonnage of
whole of its operations and cannot simply
CO
that has been accounted for to date.
2
delegate the whole carbon reduction respon- A pre-requisite for the scheme is that par-
sibility to the energy manager. ticipating authorities have the commitment
As David Pencheon observed, “To succeed, of the most senior executives in the authority.
there has to be a sustainability objective in Budget has therefore been found to create an
the brief of every manager so that part of the infrastructure for climate change manage-
total carbon reduction becomes their specific ment: sustainability managers have been ap-
responsibility. And we could ask every NHS pointed, with the energy teams in their line of
Trust board where climate change registers command.
on their risk scale.” The fact that energy accounts for just under
one fifth of the total carbon component of NHS
Rolling out the message
Promoting the roll-out of a carbon reduction
strategy across an organisation that employs
around 1.3 million people, directly or as con-
tractors, is not going to be an easy task for the
SDU. The fact that there are around 400 Trusts
in the NHS, each with their own management Left: The NHS has much to learn
board, is going to increase the potential diffi- about carbon management from
culty of that task by an order of magnitude. local authorities such as the City
David Pencheon and his colleagues are go- of Wolverhampton, which has
ing to encounter people who simply do not been a participant in the Carbon
see the need for the comprehensive action set Trust programme.
out in the carbon strategy.
There will no doubt be others along chains
of command who understand what they have
to do but find a thousand operational barriers
NHS institutions may be looking at sustainability in this depth
against its successful implementation.
for the first time, but there is experience elsewhere in the
Making a success will require advice, sup-
public sector. UK local authorities have a head start over the
port and more than a measure of cajoling, or-
NHS in their approach to carbon reduction: the Carbon Trust is
ganisation by organisation across the footprint
of the Service.
embarking on year 7 of its Carbon Management Programme.
The Informed Executive
39
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