Home > News > St George’s Healthcare gets energised about energy

Published: 8 Oct 2010

St George’s Healthcare staff, patients and visitors renewed their commitment to cutting carbon at a special one-day event, Get Energised About Energy, held on Friday 8th October.

The event marked a six-month milestone in the trust’s 10:10 campaign. Patients, visitors and staff pledged their support by signing the 10:10 banner, which will be framed and displayed in the trust. They were also given an eco-inspired tote bag filled with eco-friendly goodies and carbon-cutting tips.

David Astley, chief executive, highlighted the importance of the campaign. He said: “Making changes to how we offer services now is the first step towards improving the future health economy. We will always be looking for ways to make our services, and the way we deliver them, more sustainable.

“The long-term benefits of reducing carbon include a reduction in climate-linked health risks and a healthier community. Rather than treating climate-linked lifestyle-related diseases, we will offer more preventative care.

“In the long term this will save money – which can be invested into new technology and clinical developments.”

In May this year, the national 10:10 campaign – to cut ten per cent of our electricity, on-site fuel, road transport and air travel carbon emissions – was absorbed into the trust’s Think Green campaign, and was rebranded as Saving carbon, Saving lives.

St George’s aims to work with the local community, raising awareness of environmental issues and their impact on the health and the healthcare system.

Notes to editors

  1. For more information, please contact contact the communications unit on 020 8725 5151 or emailcommunications@stgeorges.nhs.uk Outside working hours, please page us by calling St George’s 07659 146548 and leave a message for pager SG548.
  2. What have we done so far?
    • 2002 Began reducing carbon emissions
    • 2005 Improvements to the boiler room made a massive difference to the trust’s energy efficiency, saving £300,000
    • 2006 One of the first ten trusts to launch the NHS carbon management scheme with Carbon Trust
    • 2006 Think Green initiative launched – big push on recycling. Today the trust recycles 251 tonnes of clinical waste annually and 333 tonnes of paper, plastic, cardboard, cans and glass
    • 2007 Trust named as a “highly commended runner up” in HSJ’s corporate citizenship award and as a “winner” of Wandsworth Green Champions competition
    • 2008 New staff accommodation built including sustainable finishes and energy efficiencies throughout
    • 2008 Grounds and gardens of the hospital win national NHS award
    • 2009 Catering contract with MITIE has sustainability written into the contract encouraging stricter monitoring of environmental issues
    • 2010 A new lighting initiative saves 78 tonnes of carbon and £5,000 annually for the trust
    • 2010 10:10 campaign launched
    • 2010 New trust travel plan launched to encourage staff to alternative greener methods of getting to work
    • 2010 The trust’s combined heat and power (CHP) plant generates 2.5m kwh of electricity that is sold back to the national grid