NHS – reducing emissions, saving energy & money

Our National Health Service is continuing to face immense pressure from the public, politicians and the threat of privatisation. Despite this, nobody will be feeling the pressure more so than the dedicated team of doctors and nurses catering for sick patients.

It’s often quite easy to forget the level of commitment show by these people. But, as a nation, we’ve come to expect it. And as soon as the high standards set by the NHS begin to falter, we tend to look for blame, rather than a way to support them.

Why is the NHS under pressure?

As healthcare improves, so does the life expectancy of the average human. Therefore, there are more people on the planet than ever before, meaning more people are likely to use a service like the NHS. Be it hospitals, mental health services, community services or ambulances, the demand is high. Yet, the staff levels are not growing in accordance with the rise in emergency admissions or ambulance calls.

Other attributing factors, on top of the increased demand, are Brexit, lack of beds and bad weather. Each of which has had added pressure upon the NHS and its performance, over this last decade.

The NHS is hugely reliant on EU trained staff and many of the thousands already working here could opt to return home after the outcome of Brexit, depleting staff numbers even more. Alarming news, given that the UK already has fewer doctors and nurses than many other comparable countries. To increase the workforce, there needs to be adequate finances in place.

Why is the NHS facing financial difficulty?

One of the key reasons as to why the NHS is struggling financially is due to the deficit of £2.6 billion. Although this was reduced to £800 million last year, thanks to a bung from the Department of Health, the truth is that the NHS are struggling to operate in the current climate.

Additionally, the tightening of budgets have left the health service doubting whether the NHS can reach the lofty targets imposed upon them. The concerns are that such implications and restrictions will directly impact on the quality of patient care, leaving many patients without the treatment they require.

Alarming statistics reveal how the anticipated rise in waiting lists for operations, delays in accident and emergency departments and general healthcare performance will continue to deteriorate under the current financial constraints imposed by the government.

Sourcing extra funding is complicated, as we all know. Increasing tax is often a first point of call, but not one which sits well with the majority of the public.Therefore, one solution could be to look at reducing the energy levels and wastage within the NHS, as a smart way to save money whilst bettering the environment.

How can the NHS save energy and money?

As we’ve highlighted before, organisations of any size can save energy by conforming to the basics, but something the size and scale of the NHS would need more innovative solutions.

When you consider that estimated size of the NHS estate covers around 30 million square metres of floor space, covering some 7,000 hectares of land, the energy usage is no doubt colossal. Consequently, it’s no surprise that the Department of Health has offered an incentive to NHS Trusts to further reduce their carbon footprint. Trusts would need to put forward a case for new and ingenious energy saving solutions and could be awarded up to £3 million.

There has already been great progress made by the NHS in its energy conservation, making great savings in both energy and money. First and foremost, the environmental impact of reducing the current NHS current carbon footprint will be hugely beneficial for our planet. Moreover, smarter money saving, and energy efficient, methods are essential, especially when you consider the amount of additional staff which could be employed, alongside investment in better machinery and technology, to assist with the increase in demand of the NHS and its services.

How Wilson Power Solutions have helped the NHS

Luckily, Wilson Power Solutions are part of the problem solving brigade, rather than the finger pointing brigade, and specialists in energy efficiency and waste management.

However, when considering the NHS in particular, the most essential aspect is to guarantee a consistent and secure power supply, before costs are considered, as people’s lives are at stake. Having said that, here at Wilson Power solutions, we are a conscientious company that works with hospitals and trusts across the country to help them make the right choices when it comes to energy infrastructure.

We firmly believe that our transformers are among the most efficient and reliable transformers on the market. Furthermore, we also provide a variety of voltage management solutions that allow you to control your energy, so that you make the most of the power you use. Having worked with with hospitals of all types and sizes, providing them with our knowledge and expertise, we have seen significant financial savings as well as reductions in CO2 emissions. Our innovative solutions are the ideal way to assist the NHS, in its current climate, allowing them to save money rather than source tricky additional funding. Ultimately, we’re offering effortless energy saving solutions to drive down costs and lower emissions which help to improve the performance of and stability of the NHS.