Creating low-carbon care pathways to support a sustainable NHS
The NHS aims to reach Net Zero by 2045, but emissions from travel, waste, and supply chains remain major barriers. Reducing carbon without compromising patient care or efficiency demands innovative, system-wide approaches across clinical and operational settings.
The University of Exeter’s £6.5M “UK Hub for One Health Systems” is building scalable, sustainable care models to cut NHS emissions. By uniting NHS trusts, researchers, and policymakers, the project focuses on reshaping care delivery to reduce carbon while maintaining – or improving – health outcomes.
Impact:
The Hub is helping develop evidence-based, low-carbon care models that can be scaled nationally. It addresses key emission sources, informs policy, and supports the NHS’s journey to Net Zero through collaboration and innovation.
HRC Support:
- Provided strategic leadership to align with NHS Net Zero goals
- Enabled real-world testing with NHS partners
- Supported evaluation of sustainable technologies and pathways
- Generated evidence to inform national health and climate policy
