Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management has recently signed a four-year lease on 18 new electric vehicles (EVs) to help meet Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s net zero 2040 target.
The estates and facilities teams rely on having their own fleet of vehicles to carry out day-to-day duties across all of the hospital sites in Northumberland and North Tyneside.
With the current lease from 2018 coming to an end, a review of the fleet identified room to reduce carbon emissions.
Discussions to increase the number of EVs involved head porters, estates and facilities managers to review against their usage and mileage needs to ensure they would continue to meet the needs of the trust.
With over 50% of the incoming fleet being electric, they will be charged overnight at the trust’s hospital sites to cut down on fuel costs.
Dr Clare Winter, head of sustainability at Northumbria Healthcare, said: “We have a responsibility through our Net Zero Northumbria action plan to make improvements to the trust’s sustainability in all aspects of our business in order to meet our net zero 2040 target.
“Making the switch to electric vehicles is just one of the many changes we have made to contribute to cleaner air around our hospitals.”
“Thanks to Phil Cooper and Leon Xeros from NHS Fleet Solutions for assisting with implementing this change.”
