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Halton Hospital. (Runcorn Weekly News).
Halton Hospital is launching a project aimed at tackling air pollution and the “major role” it plays in climate change as well as ill health and death.
Zero Carbon Cardiology Patient Pilot Scheme: Heart patients are needed to participate in the Zero Carbon Cardiology Patients pilot scheme. This will determine how many carbon emissions are produced during a patient’s journey, from diagnosis through treatment and discharge.
Dr Ahmed Farag (interventionist cardiologist, clinical lead for Warrington & Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) created the initiative to show how WHH will reduce its carbon footprint.
A spokesperson for WHH stated that the program will attempt to reduce, mitigate, and offset carbon consumption.
She said that as the UK’s largest public sector employer, the NHS contributes 4%-5% of the nation’s carbon emissions.
As well as confronting the challenge of the “devastating” climate crisis, the project also dovetails with the general medical goal of reducing ill health due to air pollution’s status as the leading environmental risk factor, causing more deaths than all other environmental risk factors combined, she said.
The search is now on for a small group of cardiology outpatients to map how much carbon is generated during their time under the trust’s care and treatment for a 12-week pilot programme.
The project team will be working with other organisations, including the Environment Agency and Forestry Commission, to reduce, offset and calculate the carbon emissions from hospital care. This will include planting trees at both Warrington and Halton.
Dr Farag said: “This is a really exciting project and the tip of the iceberg in terms of our Green Plan.”
“The project is part of the Trust’s Green Plan which will act as the framework for the implementation of sustainability strategies including reducing carbon emissions, reducing its contribution to air pollution and reducing waste.”
An event to mark the offset of the carbon emissions recorded will see a tree planted by HM Lord-Lieutenant at each of the hospital sites as a mark of commitment by the trust to work towards its targets and to honour The Queen’s “Green Canopy” for her Platinum Jubilee.
HaltonHospital is located on Hospital Way in Runcorn, Cheshire.
Patients who would like to take part should contact 01925 665 981 or email [email protected]
