The refreshed NHS Wales Decarbonisation Strategic Delivery Plan, which is published during Wales Climate Week, sets out a clear roadmap for the NHS to meet its climate ambitions and achieving the legal 2050 Net Zero target.

The plan will help NHS Wales organisations to:

• increase energy efficiency and use of renewables
• support more sustainable travel by staff and patients
• work with suppliers to minimise environmental impact
• deliver environmental sustainability
• reduce waste
• work as sustainably as possible.

Cabinet secretary for health and social care, Jeremy Miles, said: ‘We are striving for a more sustainable health system, which will reduce its impact on the environment and provide wider benefits to public health.

‘We all have a part to play in addressing the climate emergency. The NHS in Wales can play its part by taking simple steps, such as reducing waste, saving energy and working as sustainably as possible, while focusing on delivering high-quality care.

‘Improving the sustainability and environmental impact of NHS Wales will help the public sector and Wales reduce our carbon footprint and achieve our Net Zero commitments by 2050.'

Efforts to reduce carbon emissions in NHS Wales have been boosted by several sustainability projects.

Over the past five years, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board's Green ICU Team has reduced plastic waste in the ICU by around 2 tonnes per year, saving tens of thousands of pounds. The Their Gloves Off campaign aims to reduce the amount of non-sterile gloves worn, is on target to save around £15,000 this year and a plastic saving of around 490,000 gloves (or approximately 30 gloves per patient per day) in critical care. Other schemes include arranging for the recycling of bottles used to feed patients, offering drinking tap water instead of sterile water to patients and installing LED lighting.