The winner of the HEFMA-sponsored Travel award category as part of the 2020 NHS Sustainability Day was Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust for its ongoing work to develop an electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and promote the use of electric vehicles across the Trust.
This project has already spanned a number of years. In 2015 Northumbria Healthcare became the only NHS Trust to replace diesel vans with 13 electric vehicles. This introduction of an electric fleet within estates and facilities won the Trust a Sustainable Achievement prize. Across the Trust, 25 dual charging points and one single point were installed, with an additional two rapid charging points, owned by Northumberland County Council but installed in the Trust car parks at Hexham and Wansbeck hospitals.
In 2019 these initial 13 vans were replaced with newer vehicles and two more added from computer services. Dedicated rapid charging points in the Trust were installed for internal vans, so most of its journeys are covered by electric vehicles with zero emissions.
In 2018, the Trust's Travel Plan Coordinator was awarded EV Champion by Green Fleet (GF) for the work carried out across the Trust on greener transport projects and named in the GF 100 Most Influential list, which honours individuals from all sectors who have had the most impact on shaping the low-carbon transport sector.
Recently, the Trust Board approved a business case to install an additional 24 charging points on three of its main sites - North Tyneside General Hospital, Wansbeck General Hospital and Northumbria Emergency Hospital (Cramlington). The work was on schedule to be completed by the end of March this year, but has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Once complete, it will increase the number of charging points across the Trust to 79. Twelve of these are Fast Chargers, which will enable EV users to charge their cars more quickly and move on for the next EV user.
Reducing emissions and air pollution
The very important issue of air quality has a direct impact on health and is closely linked to carbon emissions..
The EV project has helped the Trust to reduce its carbon emissions. Northumbria's wholly own subsidiary - NHS Fleet Solutions - is heavily promoting the lease of pure electric cars for staff and the uptake has increased tremendously. Even more electric vehicles are expected to hit the roads this year due to the new 0% tax benefit for electric cars introduced from April 1.
The government has made it clear that from 2035 there will be no new fossil fuel cars joining the UK's roads. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is working towards that goal already, making staff aware of the importance of moving away from petrol and diesel. Staff are responding and slowly replacing their old cars with reduced emission models, and as result of its improved EV infrastructure the Trust has also encouraged many staff to move to electric cars, helping to save further carbon emissions.
The Trust has introduced Hubsta software to monitor the usage of charging points and generate reports via its back office software. Between April 2019 and February 2020 the Trust recorded 50,261 charging sessions across 55 charging points by staff, patients, visitors and general public. These users have contributed to the clean air project by not emitting carbon while travelling to and from Northumbria Healthcare Trust's hospitals.
Further significant reductions have been achieved through an internal courier van project, which saw the introduction of E- NV 200- Nissan Vans.
This is an ongoing project. The Hubsta software will help the Trust to determine the usage and duration of vehicle charging, providing a monthly report and data that may be analysed for future improvements.
