Sustainability strategy
Meeting Net Zero through cutting-edge innovation
Head of Innovation at InnoScot Health, Robert Rea discusses how NHS Scotland must aim to meet its 2040 target through cutting-edge innovation. He outlines the challenges and opportunities going forward.
With NHS Scotland aiming to be a Net Zero organisation by 2040 or earlier, the gauntlet has been firmly laid down to its leaders and 190,000-strong workforce in striving to achieve that goal. In becoming the first national health service in the UK to commit to doing so, the Scottish health service arguably took a bold stance, replete with as many pressing challenges as potential solutions. Fundamentally though, the setting of that
target is a key opportunity for the Scottish health service to take another lead and deliver on the absolute necessity of becoming a significantly greener entity that successfully balances effective, high-quality care with an enduring sustainable focus. Complementing the Net Zero goal, NHS
Scotland is also looking to hit a series of other specific targets in both the run-up to 2040 and longer-term including: l An 80% carbon reduction by 2028 to 2032. l Using renewable heating systems in all its owned buildings by 2038.
l Improving energy efficiency and conforming with ISO 50001 or equivalent.
l Maximising the use of renewable electricity, including on-site renewable energy and heat generation.
l Identifying and implementing measures to improve water efficiency.
In the process, NHS Scotland has been given a clear mandate to ensure that it identifies and mitigates its emissions at all levels and does not contribute further to a climate emergency considered to be the greatest threat to health this century – one which could serve to place even greater strain on the health and social care system. Lowered NHS emissions are therefore a vital
part of the wider solution when it comes to ongoing healthcare transformation, heightening the nation’s wellbeing and prosperity, and delivering better value care. As the Scottish Government notes, climate change “undermines
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the conditions that are necessary for good health” amid a move “to a world of greater food and water insecurity.” It added: “We have a moral obligation to help
tackle the greatest threat to human health by reducing our impact on the environment.” More specifically, in launching its NHS
Scotland climate emergency and sustainability strategy: 2022-2026,1
the Scottish Government
said: “We want to maximise our contribution to reducing emissions from the manufacture and supply of medicines and equipment and from staff, patient and visitor travel. “The level of those emissions is determined by
clinical decisions and models of care and so the involvement of all health professionals in efforts to improve sustainability is essential to success. This will require unprecedented change in how we work.” The government noted that “Health Boards
are making good progress with assessing climate risks and preparing adaptation plans but these need to be integrated into other strategies and risk management processes”. That means pushing for low carbon
alternatives in healthcare delivery, in tandem
with other crucial pieces of the puzzle such as the drive for progressive preventative medicine, increasing integration of remote monitoring, and empowering patients through greater self-management, thereby lowering the need for travel. Where the NHS itself needs to travel, the
aim is to remove all fossil-fuelled small and light commercial vehicles from its fleet. It says it will also ensure that all of its small and light commercial vehicles are powered by renewable alternatives by 2025 and will no longer buy or lease large fossil-fuelled vehicles by 2030. Electric vehicle charging points will continue to be installed throughout the NHS estate. The Scottish Government believes that the NHS must look to leverage its “purchasing power” from its £2.5 billion annual spend on goods and services with around 8000 suppliers in order to help contribute to its goal of realising lower emissions. In NHS Scotland climate emergency and sustainability strategy: 2022-2026, it stated: “To become an environmentally and socially sustainable health service, we need to embrace a circular economy, using our purchasing
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