Greener BSW

Empowering and mobilising all staff and leaders to contribute to the delivery of more environmentally sustainable healthcare.

• Hundreds of healthcare colleagues form part of green networks and working groups across BSW.
• NHS organisations have Net Zero board level leads

Leveraging digital to enhance care delivery whilst reducing the impact of the technology we use.

• Virtual outpatient appointments successfully rolled out where clinically appropriate. 21-23% outpatient appointments at SFT are delivered remotely.
• Reduced our paper use. At GWH, a third of printers have now been decommissioned.

Reducing the impact of our prescribing and anesthetic gases by prescribing alternatives and reducing waste.

• Trusts have successfully stopped using Desflurane across BSW
• Achieved target of benchmarking in the lowest 10% for metered dose inhaler prescriptions compared to other regions.

Making our journeys more environmentally sustainable by supporting a shift to active travel, public transport and electric vehicles.

• Air quality monitoring installed at SFT and RUH to improve on-site air quality.

Modernising the NHS estate, decarbonising buildings, improving energy efficiency and embedding net zero design into new developments.

• Increased investment in renewable energy. 1.2MW of solar capacity achieved at AWP, this is one of the highest energy outputs from solar among similar trusts.
• Trusts are developing plans to move away from fossil fuel heating. RUH has secured grant funding for decarbonisation of buildings.
• Devizes Integrated Care Centre is going to be the first net zero building with an energy EPC rating of a+, which utilises green technology such as heat pumps and solar panels to generate energy and heat to serve the building, which opens in February 2026. We will also be opening our new net zero Integrated Care Centre in Trowbridge in January 2026.

Aligning with the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap and promoting circular economy principles.

• 10% social value weighting is now mandatory in all NHS tenders and suppliers are required to provide evidence to show they are aligned to our net zero goals.

Promoting healthy, local and seasonal food that meets national healthcare standards while reducing waste and reducing emissions.

Making our healthcare systems ready for climate change by planning ahead and investing in solutions.

• Emergency plans are in place to continue to deliver essential healthcare services in the event of extreme weather events.
• BSW Hospitals Group have undertaken a climate risk assessment and are developing longer-term climate adaptation plans to increase climate resilience.

Enhancing biodiversity and creating therapeutic environments for recovery and wellbeing.