Our green plan

Our Green Plan sets out how the NHS in South West London is responding to the climate crisis — improving patient care, reducing emissions and waste, and working with partners to build a healthier, greener future. We know climate change is a health emergency. By cutting emissions, reducing waste, and designing more sustainable services, we’re protecting people’s health today and for generations to come.

What the plan focuses on

The updated Green Plan (2025–2029) builds on our progress over the past three years — where we’ve already cut more than 6,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide across medicines, estates, procurement, and transport. It’s structured around eight workstreams and three cross-cutting themes:

Key workstreams:

• Workforce, leadership and training
• Net zero clinical pathways
• Digital transformation
• Medicines
• Travel and transport
• Estates, waste and food
• Supply chain and procurement
• Climate adaptation

Cross-cutting themes:

• Primary care
• Place-based action
• Data and monitoring

What we have achieved so far

• We’ve reduced more than 6,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide since 2021 — equivalent to taking 1,540 cars off the road.
• We’ve delivered greener changes in medicines, theatres, heating systems, and digital tools.
• Primary care teams have reduced emissions from inhalers while improving asthma care.
• Virtual care models, like virtual wards, are reducing hospital admissions and travel for patients.
• Estates like Springfield Hospital now use low-carbon heating systems and promote biodiversity.

What is next

This plan puts “Care Without Carbon” at the centre of our health and care services. It sets ambitious targets, such as:

• Reducing nitrous oxide emissions by 10% each year
• Switching 30% of our fleet to electric vehicles by 2027
• Cutting food waste and energy use by 10% each year

Read our green plan

• Green Plan

  Our Green Plan sets out how the NHS in South West London is becoming more sustainable — improving patient care, reducing harmful emissions and waste, and working with partners to build a healthier, greener future for everyone.