The NHS Long Term Plan was published earlier in January. The plan includes the following commitments and requirements:
- All local health systems will be expected to set out during 2019 how they will specifically reduce health inequalities by 2023/24 and 2028/29. As a condition of receiving Long Term Plan funding, all major national programmes and every local area cross England will be required to set out specific measurable goals and mechanisms by which they will contribute to narrowing health inequalities over the next five and ten years.
- Reducing business mileages and fleet air pollutant emissions by 20% by 2023/24.
- At least 90% of the NHS fleet will use low-emissions engines (including 25% Ultra Low Emissions) by 2028.
- Primary heating from coal and oil fuel in NHS sites will be fully phased out
- Reducing the NHS’ carbon footprint by a third by 2020 from 2007 levels through improving energy efficiency through widespread implementation of LED lighting and smart energy management.
- Delivering improvements throughout the NHS supply chain including reductions in single use plastics.
Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STPs) and Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), which are groups of local NHS organisations working together with each other, local councils and other partners, now need to develop and implement their own strategies for the next five years which will be published in Autumn 2019. The Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) will be developing comprehensive implementation plans in relation to the NHS Long Term Plan over the six months, to include water, waste and plastics.
