Sustainability

The Trust recently became only the second NHS organisation in the country, and first in the south west, to install a Central Destruction Unit (CDU) to make entonox - also known as gas and air - carbon neutral.

In 2023, the Trust also decommissioned the piped supply of nitrous oxide, a gas medically distinct from entonox but a contributing factor to our carbon footprint. This project was made possible by obtaining funding from the Healthier Futures Action Fund via Greener NHS and we were one of 14 successful applicants out of 109 across the South West. The Trust now only uses a small number of nitrous oxide gas cylinders where relevant and will save hundreds of thousands of litres of gas usage every year.

There are a huge number of other green steps that have already been taken to help our organisation become more sustainable, including:

♻ 95% of lighting across the hospital replaced by LED lighting

♻ Launching ACT, an app that encourages fun competition between staff to log their sustainable actions in the workplace

♻ Creating a sustainable wellbeing garden for patients, staff and visitors

♻ Old equipment and mattresses donated to global humanitarian aid overseas

♻ One of just three Trusts in the south west to have been awarded funding that will enable us to continue work to reduce our carbon emissions, by powering the hospital site with low carbon technology.

♻ Bronze and silver GreenED accreditation received, to recognise the sustainability practices underway in the Emergency Department