A greener health and social care system benefits everyone across South Yorkshire - our staff, organisations and communities - but also the wider world around us. 

Find out how you can support South Yorkshire to make our health and care system greener.

 

Mission

Healthier planet. Healthier people

Climate change poses a major threat to health and care staff, patients, and their communities. This is because there is a direct link between the health of our planet and the health of our people. The NHS is acting to reduce the harmful gases it puts into the atmosphere. Fewer emissions will mean fewer patients with asthma, heart disease, and cancer. It will also reduce any disruption to the delivery of the care we provide.

Change has already begun

Since 2010, efforts across the health service have resulted in NHS emissions being cut by 30%. This is already improving care, as well as the health and wellbeing of our patients. Decisions have been made to invest in greener medicines, greener transport, greener buildings, and greener energy consumption.

The challenge ahead despite such brilliant progress, there is still more to be done. Together, with the help of staff across the health and care sector, we hope to achieve even more.

We were the first health service in the world to make the commitment to reaching carbon net zero and intend to be the first to reach that status. We have set two targets:

  • To reach net zero by 2040 for emissions the NHS controls directly (the NHS Carbon Footprint), with an ambition to reach an 80% reduction by 2028 to 2032
  • To reach net zero by 2045 for the emissions the NHS can influence (the NHS Carbon Footprint Plus), with an ambition to reach an 80% reduction by 2036 to 2039

Discover how you can help

Everyone can do their bit. No matter how small. The more of us who introduce small actions into our everyday routines, the more we can lessen our impact on the environment, and the more we can improve health.

The Greener NHS programme, for example, hopes to deliver long-term positive change for the planet and the health of its people. Be part of that legacy. Find out more and show your support today by visiting england.nhs.uk/greenernhs

Green Plans across the region

Click on each Place to read each Green Plan in place across our Trusts.

Fast-facts

Key issues around climate change and reducing our carbon footprint

• Air pollution is the single greatest environmental threat to health in the UK, accounting for 1 in 20 deaths.

• Reducing carbon emissions will mean fewer cases of asthma, cancer and heart disease.

• In October 2020, the NHS became the world’s first health service to commit to a target of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

• Thanks to the efforts of staff up and down the country, we have reduced emissions across medicines, transport and hospitals. We’ve also found lower-carbon ways to care.

• We’re already on our way to building a greener NHS. Since 2010, the NHS has cut its carbon emissions by 30%.

• The actions we are taking are adding up to improve health now and for generations to come.

• The United Nations climate action conference – COP26 – will provide a moment for nations to come together and raise their ambitions. We have the chance to join in and step-up action.

Staff initiative
South Yorkshire ICS Meat-Free Recipe Book

Welcome to the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw meat-free recipe book, which is being created by our colleagues across our system.

We want to encourage our workforce across South Yorkshire to think about how they can reduce their personal carbon footprint and help have a positive impact on our environment. One way we can all reduce our carbon footprint is by going meat free one day a week.

Did you know, if just one person went meat free 1 day a week for a year, they would save 789.25 bathtubs of water, 2.98 tennis courts of forest and add 1.67 days onto their life.

You can calculate how you can have a positive impact by eating less meat and dairy on the Meat Free Monday's Calculator.

Do you have a delicious family recipe? Or would like to share one of your favourite meals to make? We would love for you to share your recipes so others can enjoy them!

Click on the button below to view and add your recipes.

View the recipe book here

News

Sheffield ranks greenest city in UK ahead of COP26

Ahead of COP26, running Sunday 31st October - Friday 12th November 2021, Sheffield has been ranked the UK’s greenest city.

One third of Sheffield is within the Peak District national park and 60% of the city is green space, with 250 parks, woodlands and gardens. It is also estimated that the city contains over 4.5 million trees, which is more per person than any other city in Europe.

Green space, car and energy use, waste and recycling and air quality were key factors were analysed by academics at the University of Southampton. 17 separate sets of environmental data were used in their comprehensive study.

Want to explore more of Sheffield’s green spaces? Visit the Sheffield City Council website for a full list of city, district and local parks and green spaces.

COP26
NHS activity at the United Nations Climate Conference

At the conference, the NHS received well-earned praise as a global leader in health sector decarbonisation, and 14 other countries followed the NHS’s example in setting net zero targets for their national healthcare systems.

Here is a summary document which includes a roundup of the NHS's presence at the conference, and the wider activity of the Greener NHS programme team.

Sorry, the PDF could not be displayed. Click here to download the PDF

Community of Interest
Expression of interest form (below)

Are you interested in sustainability and the NHS Greener Agenda? We would like to invite our workforce across South Yorkshire to join our Community of Interest Group.

The Community of Interest Group will be involved in shaping the conversations within the ICS, and across wider partners, on how we can support the NHS Greener Agenda and encourage our workforce to reduce their carbon footprint. We would love to hear your ideas on what we can personally and professionally do to support the actions against climate change.

If you would like to register your interest please complete this interest form:

Interest Form

Additional Tools and Learning
Warp It

Warp It is a customisable online peer to peer redistribution network for organisations. Any organisation who is concerned with resource efficiency, waste, carbon, environmental issues or waste minimisation can use Warp It to recycle unwanted items, avoiding carbon emissions and landfill. This tool improves sustainability, reduces waste, reduces spend and improves internal/external collaboration and resilience.

Find out more information about Warp It here.

Giki Zero

Giki Zero provides a free personal guide to calculate, track and reduce your environmental footprint. Giki Zero can estimate your carbon footprint through their personal carbon footprint calculator, also telling your how much water and land use.

Fitting all budgets and lifestyles, Giki Zero offers over 100 steps to choose from to help reduce your carbon footprint.

Find out more information about Giki Zero here.

Lunch and Learn Sessions

Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership, together with West Yorkshire and Harrogate Healthcare Partnership, have hosted Climate Lunch and Learn events. These were a series of hour-long sessions to address the challenges we face with Climate Change and the impact we have on our healthcare system as well as the population we serve.

The sessions explored the impact that healthcare has across the world and the impact that Climate Change will have on healthcare into the future.

You can access all 13 lunch sessions here.