A sustainable NHS needs innovation that is driven by data and without boundaries

As we have experienced recently, climate change is not a future problem, it is happening now. It is affecting all our lives, but particularly people from the most vulnerable populations. The effects of climate change, such as air pollution and extreme temperatures, harm our physical and mental health. Every year, air pollution contributes to around 36 000 excess deaths in the UK alone.1Our NHS feels the strain of these health implications, yet it is also a key contributor to them, responsible for 4-5% of England’s carbon emissions.2 Actions taken to mitigate climate change do not only help the planet, they also help to strengthen the NHS by protecting our nation’s health and reducing demand on services.There is substantial support across the NHS for greener healthcare.3 Trusts and integrated care systems have their own green plans in place and some great progress has been made, with the NHS in England becoming…
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