NHS Sustainability Day takes place on 26 March and the local healthcare community is supporting the annual campaign, asking NHS staff and the wider community to think about how they can make changes or work smarter, be ‘greener’ and potentially save both themselves and their organisation money.
A number of activities are taking place across the county including displays and information being made available to both staff and visitors about more sustainable living and working.
Tim Goodson is Chief Officer with NHS Dorset CCG and has a keen interest in sustainability within the organisation. He said “Working in a sustainable way is everyone’s responsibility so we are always keen to support any activity or initiative that raises awareness of sustainability issues.
Within the CCG we do our best to promote sustainable issues, a good example of which is our staff intranet which has recently seen the addition of a transport hub which encourages greener travel, giving staff information on public transport services, cycle schemes, car clubs and encourages the use of lift share for both getting to work and travelling to meetings.
Whilst NHS Sustainability Day is a one off we hope that by raising these issues across the local health community we are able to make more permanent changes that will benefit the whole county”.
NHS Sustainability Day 2015 activity
NHS Dorset CCG
· staff are being encouraged to leave the car at home and travel in more environmentally friendly way;
· training in video conference equipment to help reduce travel between sites;
· free bike clinics for people who have cycled to work on the day provided by Cyclefix;
· local car club Co Cars will be on site to promote use of their scheme and give staff information;
· TUC Green Workplace will be promoting how to save energy both in the workplace and at home;
· Dorchester Nissan will be demonstrating electric cars and giving staff information.
Dorset County Hospital
· an information stand in Damers Restaurant between 11am and 2pm which will detail what is already being done to reduce the site’s carbon footprint and give staff and visitors information on how to reduce energy consumption;
· staff will be invited to take part in a sustainability quiz.
Poole Hospital
- an information stand giving out information and energy saving devices from British Gas will be available in the Dome area to staff and visitors between 12 noon and 1.30pm;
- Chief Executive Debbie Fleming will be taking part in NHS Forests 2@2 by planting trees with other members of the team in Poole Park.
Royal Bournemouth Hospital 12 noon – 2pm
· an information stand and interactive ‘energy bike’ will be available in the Atrium with Bournemouth Borough Council being present to provide staff and the general public with information about reducing their waste and increasing recycling at home;
· a stand providing advice to staff regarding increasing recycling and information on what happens to waste once it has left the hospital site with a chance for staff to sign up for a recycling bin within their work area;
· free bicycle mini-tune ups will be available outside from URGE cycle;
· Westover Nissan will be on site to promote electric vehicles, taking questions from people regarding and offering test drives.
Dorset HealthCare
· Dorset Healthcare is marking the day by sharing a number of sustainability and environmental initiatives through sites across the county;
· following the introduction of a recent recycling initiative in partnership with SITA UK which saw landfill waste drop significantly and recycling increase from 21% to 40%, Dorset HealthCare sites will be invited to be early adopters of a wider roll out of the initiative.
Further information
· More information on NHS Sustainability Day can be found via www.nhssustainabilityday.co.uk
· For more information on NHS Forests 2@2 visit https://nhsforest.org/nhs-sustainability-day-2015.
