A new study into methods to cut the carbon footprint of hospitals could help the NHS to meet its carbon reduction targets.

The research carried out by Dr Adam Pollard at the European Centre has led to the development of a complex modelling tool that could help healthcare providers to optimise their operations – both in terms of carbon and cost.

Increasing emissions of greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide or CO2) are affecting global climate with potential threats to both human health and the environment.

The NHS was responsible for 30% of all public sector carbon emissions and 3% of total CO2 emissions in England in 2010. In order to decrease its carbon footprint, the NHS has pledged to reduce its emissions by 80% by 2050, with an interim target of 20% by 2020.

The mathematical model developed by the research team aims to help those planning healthcare services to reach these targets – by assessing the impact of a number of different healthcare scenarios on carbon and cost.

By considering the use of resources such as outpatient clinics, theatre lists, beds and diagnostic facilities the model allows planners to optimise the location of their services and ensure that current facilities are being used to their maximum potential.

The tool has already been tested by using data from the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust and demonstrated how potential measures to achieve carbon savings must be balanced with possible consequences on ‘indirect’ emissions from sources such as patient travel.

Currently the model considers direct GHG emissions (those produced from sources that are owned or controlled by the reporting entity) and indirect emissions (emissions that are a consequence of the activities of the reporting entity, but occur at sources owned or controlled by another entity) from electricity and patient transport. It is hoped that in the future embodied emissions such as those from medicines and equipment – and those arising from waste – will also be considered.

Lead author of the research and developer of the software, Dr Adam Pollard said

“We want this tool to help healthcare managers and administrators achieve a balance between economic viability, patient outcomes and climate change mitigation, ideally realising a ‘win-win’ scenario where cost savings and carbon reduction coincide.”

Dr Paul Upton, Medical Director at the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust said

“As part of our on-going programme of works to upgrade and build new facilities at our hospitals, recent new developments are built to minimise their impact on the environment and we have installed a number of energy saving schemes including solar power and biomass heat generation. Beyond that, there is a great deal we can do to get the best out of existing facilities and our aim of providing more services in community locations will help to reduce carbon emissions in a number of ways. The research being undertaken by Dr Adam Pollard and the team has the potential to provide us with vital data to feed into our future planning.”