Climate change is a health emergency. More than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes. Air pollution contributes to one in 20 deaths in the UK and is the cause of increased cases of asthma, cancer and heart disease. Contributing around 4% of UK emissions, the NHS is both a part of the problem and the solution; it must tackle climate change at source if it is to deliver on its core purpose: to improve health and care, now and for our future generations. In 2020, the NHS became the first health system in the world to commit to reaching net zero, with two targets:
- Net zero by 2040 for the emissions the NHS controls directly
- Net zero by 2045 for the emissions the NHS can influence
Since 2010, the NHS has reduced its emissions by 30%, thanks to steps taken across the workforce – but more transformation that continues to improve quality of patient care while also reducing carbon emissions is required in every setting. Developing technologies and investing in innovation now will accelerate action and ensure the best outcomes for patients. Funded by the Accelerated Access Collaborative, and in partnership with Greener NHS and the AHSN Network, our second net zero competition seeks innovative solutions that focus on decarbonising clinical pathways that are the most carbon intensive. This will require change across the whole care continuum including early disease detection, accurate diagnosis and the highest quality and most targeted treatments to not only cut emissions but also improve patient care. The four challenge areas include:
- Decarbonising surgical pathways
- Reducing waste in surgery and critical care
- Net zero personalised care
- Tools to support the workforce to deliver net zero care
The competition is open to innovators in organisations of any size from private, public and third sectors including companies, charities, universities and NHS Foundation Trusts. The organisations applying need to demonstrate a clear route to market for their products or solutions. The SBRI Healthcare PMO and the Greener NHS team will host a live Q&A session on 8 September 2022 at 14:00:
- Challenge Brief
- Invitation to Tender
- Applicant and Portal Guidance – Phase 1
- Template Application Form
- Finance Template
- Webinar presentation
- Tips for Innovators
- Webinar recording
- Development Agreement – Phase 1
- Access to the Application Portal
- Panel list
- FAQs
