Sustainability at the Trust

We are a significant employer and activity generator, and realise our responsibility to work towards a sustainable future. We have produced a Green Plan, which evidences our commitment to the net-zero national ambition and ‘For a Greener NHS’ Campaign.

THH Green Plan Refresh 2025.pdf [pdf] 4MB

We have made significant progress in achieving the Green Plan foundations, such as appointing board-level sustainability lead and implementing a board-approved Sustainable Travel and Transport Plan. 

We are pleased to announce that we had transformed our first major service, non-emergency patient transport, to be a net-zero service with 100% zero-emissions electric ambulances, in partnership with HATS Group Ltd. This is a great achievement for Hillingdon, improving the environment and air quality by reducing harmful emissions generated from diesel vehicles.

Our first Net-Zero Service Infographic v2.pdf [pdf] 936KB

There has been improved sustainability performance, enhanced patient experience and increased awareness of sustainability amongst our staff, internal and external stakeholders. Our commitment is to deliver Green Plan and develop future opportunities.

Our sustainability vision

Continually sustain culture change and retain the savings to meet our sustainability and net zero national ambitions.

Our sustainability objectives

  • Sustain the culture change and retain the savings that have been already made.
  • Secure senior leadership both in clinical and non-clinical areas in delivering the initiatives.
  • Integrate sustainability by embedding resulting actions into every business activities.
  • Focus on delivering sustainability ambitions in identified target areas.
  • Lead by example.
  • Vision is to support in the delivery of net zero strategy for a new hospital building.

Our focus areas

  • energy and carbon reduction from buildings that we occupy
  • reducing waste, increasing recycling rates
  • water conservation
  • sustainable transport and travel, and net-zero patient transport services
  • programmes that support behaviour and culture change
  • food and nutrition
  • workforce and system leadership
  • digital transformation
  • supply chain and procurement
  • medicines
  • net zero clinical transformation
  • adaptation
  • governance & reporting

Our target

We aim to reach an 80% reduction of emissions by 2028-2032 and net zero by 2040.

Our scope

The scope of emissions will be as per the Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service, the modelled carbon footprint by NHS data sets.

graphic

Our green plan success

The following are our key successes since April 2020:

  • established a Board-level Sustainability and Net Zero Lead - to strengthen and support our commitment
  • 10 years ahead of the 2035 NHS net-zero patient transport target - with all zero-emissions ambulances
  • a year ahead in 50% carbon emissions reduction - produced from waste management.
  • generating own clean power onsite (Solar Photovoltaic) – by enabling our infrastructure to deliver these benefits. 
  • LIVE Energy Display to monitor energy consumption at anytime and from anywhere
  • we purchase and use 100% renewable electricity only
  • we send zero waste to landfill
  • improved waste segregation and increase in recycling rates
  • food recycling sent for energy recovery
  • reducing plastic consumption
  • 58% Trust fleet is green with zero emissions
  • our electric vehicles powered with 100% renewable electricity
  • solely purchase and lease cars that are ultra-low emissions vehicles (ULEVs) or zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs)
  • a green travel plan to support active travel & transport 
  • LIVE bus information to encourage the use of public transport
  • 38% increase in secured cycle capacity (staff and public)
  • cycle to Work Schemes for staff

Our case studies

The below are some of our sample case studies:

Embedding a Green Vision - HEFMA Nov/Dec 2023, p18-19

Committing to a Greener NHS, The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 

Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust save £215,000 per year from one project alone using Stark’s data and analytics

Recognition and awards

Thanks, and we need you in our journey

Sustainability and net zero road map v6.pdf [pdf] 787KB

We engage and work with wide range of internal and external stakeholders (estates and facilities contractors) this also includes London Borough of Hillingdon, London Cycle Campaign, TfL, and our suppliers such as HATS, Grundon Waste Management Company, and Apetito. 

This engagement is key for our success. We would like to acknowledge and thank everybody involved in helping us in our sustainability commitments. We look forward to retaining this support for future challenges.

Our thanks also extend to patients and public for using our sustainability initiative facilities.