NHS Forth Valley off to a fast start on the long road to net zero emissions

The findings are contained in the first NHS Forth Valley’s Annual Climate Emergency and Sustainability report, which shows improvements in a number of key areas.

The health board’s carbon footprint reveals a 36 per cent reduction in emissions compared with the 2014/15 baseline and highlights ongoing work to improve measuring, monitoring and data collection for emissions sources.

Work is also ongoing to improve the energy performance of Forth Valley Royal Hospital, which accounts for around half of the board’s total energy consumption, and

the "fabric first” approach, which will see a significant sum of money invested to reduce emissions from buildings in the Primary Care estate.

Progress is continuing on switching to electric vehicles and removing all petrol and diesel fuelled cars from the board’s fleet by 2025. There are now 46 fully electric

vehicles live within the current NHS Forth Valley fleet, with 15 on order and the remaining fleet vehicles will be replaced with electric alternative when they reach their

replacement dates.

Electric charging points have been installed in local hospital and health centre car parks and support is available to help staff switch to more sustainable ways of

travelling including access to electric bikes and bike maintenance schemes.

Derek Jarvie, NHS Forth Valley’s head of climate change and sustainability, said: “A wide range of actions are underway across the organisation to help create more

sustainable health services. Local staff are really supportive and have come up with some great ideas and suggestions to reduce energy use and waste.

“Nevertheless, achieving these aims will require an unprecedented shift in how healthcare is delivered, and everyone has a role to play. NHS Forth Valley will continue

to build on the great work that has already been done, scale up activity and harness the energy and enthusiasm of local staff, patients and visitors to help deliver the

changes required.

“It’s important to recognise that many of the actions needed to respond to the climate emergency also have positive health impacts. Cutting emissions and restoring

biodiversity improves air quality and can reduce the incidence of asthma, heart attacks and stroke.”