We’re delighted to announce we have been awarded £40.3 million to help us continue to keep you – and our planet – healthy.
The funding has been secured from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, a £1 billion government initiative supporting its commitment to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
The grant was the largest of its kind awarded and, as a result, we can now start work on significant energy improvement schemes at our hospital sites across Goole, Scunthorpe and Grimsby, which should deliver annual savings in excess of 5,000 tonnes of CO2.
Climate change poses a major threat to our health as well as our planet.
The environment is changing, that change is accelerating and this has direct and immediate consequences for patients, the public and the NHS as a whole.
Director of Estates and Facilities, Jug Johal said: “As a Trust, we have made a commitment to increasing sustainability by making better use of our existing buildings and reducing our running costs, in line with the national Greener NHS strategy which is committed to taking the carbon footprint of the NHS to net zero by 2045.
“Reducing carbon emissions also has significant health benefits, as poor environmental health contributes to a number of major diseases, including cardiac problems, asthma and cancer.”
£40.3 million programme will start in Goole
The work will start in Goole, where we’ll be starting our energy improvement programme, removing the current coal fired boilers and switching to gas.
Mr Johal added: “Securing this funding will allow us to invest in a more ecologically sound future for all our buildings across the Trust and improve the environment for both patients and our staff.
“This is something that’s really important to us and we have just finalised our own Green Plan for the Trust which sets out our commitment to a more sustainable future.
“This scheme is a big part of that commitment and we have worked with ETL – a private limited company, owned by and investing in the NHS – to put together our bid.
“Together we have submitted it to the department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Salix – a non-governmental organisation which works alongside BEIS, who have supported us through the process.
“Our first priority is to replace the coal fired boilers at Goole District Hospital with a low carbon gas CHP system.
“Goole is one of only two coal-fired boilers left in the country and, in carrying out this and our other planned energy saving works, will reduce this site’s carbon emissions by almost 60 per cent.”
Cross site improvements
“We also plan to replace the aging steam system in operation at Scunthorpe General Hospital with a predominantly renewable heat pump solution.
“In addition, we will also be replacing all our old lighting across all three main hospital sites with more energy efficient LEDs.”
The £40.3 million will also allow us to upgrade our insulation, windows and Building Management System (BMS) at all three main sites; increase the number of solar panels at Scunthorpe and Grimsby and upgrade Scunthorpe General Hospital’s ventilation plant.
Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “We were the first major economy to put into law our target to end our contribution to climate change, and today we’re taking steps to be the first major economy to have its own low carbon industrial sector.
“While reaching our climate targets will require extensive change across our economy, we must do so in a way that protects jobs, creates new industries and attracts inward investment – without pushing emissions and business abroad.
“Ahead of COP26, the UK is showing the world how we can cut emissions, create jobs and unleash private investment and economic growth. Today’s strategy builds on this winning formula as we transition low carbon and renewable energy sources, while supporting the competitiveness of Britain’s industrial base.
“Backed by more than £1 billion investment, today’s plans will make a considerable dent in the amount of carbon emissions emitting from our economy and put us on the path to eliminate our contribution to climate change by 2050.”
Collaborative scheme
ETL managing director Adam Trigg added: “We are very proud to have been able to assist the Trust in securing this significant £40.3 million funding which will drive energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation projects across its estate. This is one of the largest awards of its kind in the UK to date.
“This kind of investment into hospital sites will dramatically cut carbon emissions and contribute to helping the UK meet its sustainability targets over the coming years.
“ETL is looking forward to seeing this project through to completion, which will put Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS FT well on the road to delivering net zero carbon in line with the Greener NHS Campaign’s ambition of net zero healthcare by 2040.”
Alan Barlow, UK&I Director at Centrica Business Solutions, who will carry out the improvement works at Goole said: “Like the rest of the NHS, energy costs are a significant outlay for Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust. Modern energy technology offers a method of unlocking savings that can support front line services.
“The energy project at Goole will not only deliver savings of over £250,000 a year but will also create a more efficient, warmer environment for patients and staff as well as cleaner air for local residents.”
The works at Scunthorpe and Grimsby will be led by Breathe, an Imtech company.
Gary Parke, Managing Director said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the contract to deliver in the region of £38 million of energy reduction projects at Scunthorpe and Grimsby.
Replacing and upgrading the majority of heating, ventilation and lighting systems across these two sites will provide significant carbon reduction benefits for the Trust and a better environment for staff, patients and visitors to the hospital.”