Towards Net Zero - Flourish at Newcastle Hospitals

It is going to be a challenging journey, but if we work together to achieve our vision, by 2040 we will have transitioned our estate away from fossil fuels to deliver Zero Carbon Care.

As we deliver our services we will always champion re-use over single-use and carefully consider the earth’s resources – achieving our goal of Zero Waste.

Buildings will be surrounded by flourishing, biodiverse green spaces which are accessible to patients, visitors, staff and the local community. Nature will be allowed to thrive, patients’ recovery will be enhanced, visitors will be able to take a moment for themselves, and staff will rest and replenish their energy reserves.

By 2040, NHS suppliers have had 10-years experience of demonstrating their progress to Net Zero and at Newcastle Hospitals our suppliers have led the way by aligning their carbon reduction plans with ours, five years ahead of the rest of the NHS.

We will completely replace the use of petrol and diesel vehicles for the delivery of our care, resulting in Clean Air and a healthier environment.

Shared Values

We have a set of shared values here at Newcastle:

We care and are kind – to our people and planet

We have high standards – and sustainability is critical to delivering high quality care

We are inclusive – everyone plays a role

We are innovative – in our approach to achieving net zero carbon, clean air and zero waste

We are proud – of the position we have taken on the climate and health emergency

In June 2019 we were the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency and in October 2020 we published our Climate Emergency Strategy.

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What we want to achieve:

Our Vision

To be a global leader in sustainable healthcare delivery through collaboration and innovation and helping our patients and communities to thrive within the means of the planet.

Our Goals

To achieve our vision we have set three long term goals:

Zero Carbon Care

By 2030 the emissions we control will be net-zero – our Newcastle Hospitals Carbon Footprint
By 2040 the emissions we can influence will be net zero – our Newcastle Hospitals Carbon Footprint Plus

Clean Air

By 2030 our operational transport activities generate no harmful air pollution
By 2040 our healthcare facilities are accessed only by zero emission travel

Zero Waste

By 2030 we will reuse and repair everything that can be reused and repaired
By 2040 we will produce no waste. We will manage resources within the circular economy, with items surplus to requirements becoming a resource in another part of the system

Read our Climate Emergency Strategy to learn more about our commitment to being Net Zero Carbon by 2040 and find out what we plan to do from 2020 to 2025 towards meeting that challenge. Or click on Our Plans.

We asked our staff and service users for their thoughts on the Climate Emergency, how they think it will affect patients and the service they deliver and what they would say to world leaders. Watch this video to see what they told us: