Since its establishment in 2003, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) has sought to provide high-quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen. In delivering this care, ELHT also recognises its responsibility to maintain economic, environmental and social sustainability whilst adapting to global challenges such as climate change and pandemics.
As the largest employer in Europe, the NHS is responsible for 4% of the UK carbon emissions. ELHT understands its role as part of the NHS in helping to reduce this impact and is committed to achieving the Net Zero goals of 2040 for controllable emissions and 2045 for emissions it is able to influence, as set out in the Delivering a Net Zero NHS Guidance.
In addition to the Net Zero goals of the NHS, ELHT is committed to supporting its staff, its patients and the wider community in reducing their own emissions, fulfilling its role as an anchor institution. Achieving Net Zero will not only be beneficial to the Trust, it will also benefit those living in the region through improved environmental conditions and improved health.
This ELHT Green Plan sets out our road map to Net Zero through a detailed action plan covering nine areas of focus and is aligned with the Trust’s Clinical, Quality, Financial and Estates strategies. The Green Plan will be delivered through key stakeholder engagement across the Trust as well as collaboration with other like-minded organisations including the local Integrated Care System (ICS), social care providers, our supply chain and the wider community through the Local Authorities.
You can see the full plan below: