New NHS electric vehicles are hitting the road, helping to relieve pressure on ambulance services across the country while also helping the NHS cut its carbon footprint. The vehicles are part of a £2.1 million investment towards the NHS commitment to reach net zero by 2040.
Eight ambulance Trusts are trialling 21 zero-emission vehicles of various types. Six of the new green vehicles are dedicated to mental health response in the community, an initiative designed to cut emergency response times for people with mental health needs and help reduce demand on traditional double-crewed ambulances.
The new dedicated mental health response vehicles, which are already in action in the North West, differ in design from traditional ambulances. While they still carry the equipment which enables them to respond to the most serious life-threatening emergencies when required, they have fewer fluorescent markings and a much less clinical interior to help put patients at ease.
The all-electric vehicles can be deployed as a rapid response vehicle when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis, providing a safe space for healthcare workers to support patients with mental health needs.
Other vehicles in the new green fleet include those equipped to attend less severe emergencies and those designed to transfer seriously ill patients to and from high dependency units – helping to relieve pressure on traditional ambulances and ensure patients get to the right location for the right treatment.
Dr Nick Watts, Chief Sustainability Officer at NHS England says: “We know that climate change has an impact on health, and the NHS can play its part in preventing ill-health by looking at new ways to reduce emissions. Each electric vehicle costs less to run and maintain, meaning these new vehicles will spend more time on the road and change the way we deliver care in the community, whilst also cutting our carbon footprint as we strive to make NHS services greener and more efficient as part of our ambition to hit net zero by 2040.”
