University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) has launched its Green Plan for 2025 to 2028, setting out a bold and comprehensive strategy to deliver sustainable care and treatment for patients.
The UHMBT Green Plan supports the NHS’s national ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040 for directly controlled emissions, and by 2045 for those it influences. It outlines ten main areas of work, including sustainable models of care, estates and facilities, travel and transport, nature and biodiversity and digital transformation.
David Sanderson, Director of Estates and Facilities, UHMBT, said: “We are happy with the progress we have made so far - from installing solar panels and LED lighting across our sites to reducing food waste and promoting low-carbon meals.
“Our Green Plan sets out clear, measurable actions that will help us create healthier environments for patients and staff, while tackling the climate crisis head-on.”
Main initiatives in the Green Plan include:
- Installation of more than 2,000 LED lights and expansion of solar energy capacity across UHMBT’s hospital sites.
- Trialling of new technologies to improve energy efficiency.
- Reduction of food waste and introduction of low-carbon meals in patient and staff catering.
- Expansion of green spaces and planting of more than 500 trees to support biodiversity and wellbeing.
- Decommissioning of high-emission anaesthetic gases.
- Launch of a UHMBT Green Champions network to engage staff in sustainability efforts.
- Introduction of reusable medical supplies and reduction of single-use plastics.
- Promotion of sustainable travel, including EV charging points.
- Digitisation of clinical and administrative processes to reduce paper waste.
Patients will play a vital role in UHMBT’s sustainability efforts. The Trust is committed to involving patients in several key areas including:
- Green ‘social prescribing’ - Patients will be encouraged to engage in nature-based activities such as walking groups and gardening, which promote wellbeing and reduce reliance on medication.
- Low-carbon meals - Hospital menus are being redesigned to include more plant-based options, improving health and reducing environmental impact.
- Digital consultations - Increased use of virtual appointments helps reduce travel emissions and offers greater convenience.
- Patient-Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU) - This empowers patients to manage their own care, reducing unnecessary appointments and resource use.
- Medicine disposal awareness - Patients are encouraged to return unused medicines to pharmacies for safe disposal, helping prevent environmental harm.
- Feedback and engagement - Patients are invited to contribute ideas and feedback through surveys and forums, helping shape future sustainability initiatives.
David added: “By embedding green practices into everything we do, we’re making our hospitals safer, more efficient and more resilient in the face of climate change. We’re also empowering staff and patients to be part of the solution.”
Andrew Poppa (pictured above with items for recycling), one of UHMBT’s Green Champions who works as an administrator in the Research and Development Team, said: “I became a Green Champion as I'm a committed environmentalist and believe in increasing sustainability and reducing environmental impact.
“Given that I follow sustainable practices in my private life (recycling, member of community composting scheme, upcycling, etc), it seemed an obvious choice to volunteer to become a Green Champion at UHMBT.
“In Research and Development, we've implemented a number of practices which have made an impact. We've re-established a printer toner recycling scheme with Konica. We're one of the most active departments on the Trusts’ ‘Warp-it’ recycling scheme both in relative and absolute terms. My colleague, Fran Huntington, who is also a Green Champion, has the best metrics in terms of money saved and items added of anyone in the Trust!
“We've worked with the Estates Team on issues such as heating and lighting. We've also enthusiastically embraced other recycling systems and are fairly fastidious in using the correct bins. We feel that this has all definitely raised awareness of sustainable practices amongst all staff in the department. It's a very satisfying role and I know both Fran and I feel proud of the efforts of everyone in the department in trying to work in a sustainable way.”
The Green Plan aligns with UHMBT’s broader priorities of delivering high-quality care, ensuring long-term financial viability and reducing avoidable, unfair and systematic differences in health between different groups of people. It also includes commitments to increase recycling rates, reduce energy and water consumption and develop net-zero infrastructure.