Carbon Footprint Analysis Of Healthcare Pathways And Services

In 2021-22 the NHS’s carbon footprint was 21.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. To reach net zero by 2045, all healthcare organisations must play their part. Calculating your organisation’s carbon footprint is an essential starting point to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions and provides important information for the development of your green plan or carbon reduction plan. It allows you to monitor your greenhouse gas emissions year on year and to understand your carbon hotspots enabling you to focus your sustainability efforts on the highest carbon areas.  

What Is A Carbon Footprint Analysis For A Healthcare Pathway?

A carbon footprint analysis measures the total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event, or product. This analysis typically includes emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and other GHGs, expressed in terms of CO₂ equivalents (CO₂e) 12. Unlike larger scale Carbon Footprint Analysis howevert, these focus very specifically on individual healthcare pathways.

What Is A Triple Bottom Line Analysis For A Healthcare Pathway?

A Triple Bottom Line (TBL) analysis is a framework used to evaluate a company or organisations performance based on three key dimensions: Profit, People, and Planet. This approach goes beyond the traditional focus on financial profitability to also consider social and environmental impacts. CSH has taken this approach and applied those principles to individual care pathways.

Why Are Carbon footprint Or Triple Bottom Line Analyses important? 

For the NHS to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net zero by 2045, not only NHS estates but also models of care need to be decarbonised. Understanding the carbon footprint of your clinical pathway/service will help to identify its carbon hotspots and open up opportunities for health professionals to address these. 

Extending your carbon footprint evaluation by including an analysis of your service’s/pathways’ social impacts, for example, looking at inequity hotspots, patient and staff experience, and financial impacts, will provide a more comprehensive understanding of your clinical specialties flash points. It will not only highlight the areas to focus your emissions reduction efforts on, but also help you to enhance your patients’ and staff experience of your service, improve equitable access for all and reduce costs. 

Why Is A Carbon Footprint Or Triple Bottom Line Analysis important For Healthcare Pathways?  

A carbon footprint analysis is crucial for UK healthcare providers due to its alignment with national environmental legislation and the sector's significant environmental impact. Not only do these analysis help ensure that healthcare organisations meet these legislative commitments, they also help identify key weak points in individual care pathways, reduce overall costs and waste, and ultimately improve patient care. 

What Is Involved In A Carbon FootPrint Or Triple Bottom Line Analysis? 

At CSH, our team of experts will map your clinical pathway or service, identify resources used for delivery and estimate their GHG emissions and costs. The capacity of potential solutions to reduce the pathway’s GHG emissions can be assessed through scenario modelling. 

Depending on the category of social impact identified for assessment, patient/staff surveys or focus group discussions might be drawn on for evaluation. 

‘It has been brilliant working with Rosie and Inge from CSH. They have led thorough reports looking at carbon footprinting the use of an artificial intelligence conversational agent in the NHS.  I have always been impressed with how thorough the team have been, how they've gone the extra mile to understand the nuances of clinical pathways to ensure the report is accurate, and the reports themselves have been professional and extremely insightful. I look forward to our ongoing work together’ - Aisling Highman, Ufonia  

Who Is This Service For? 

The Carbon Footprint Or Triple Bottom Line Analysis Of Healthcare Pathways is for all NHS and non NHS Healthcare organisations that are involved in patient care, and work with multidisciplinary teams involved in direct patiet care.  

Success Stories 

How Much Does A Carbon Footprint Or Triple Bottom Line Analysis Cost? 

Each healthcare provider throughout the sector is unique and will have a variety of needs and requirements. Our team of experts will work with you to make sure we meet the individual needs of your supply chain or business.

Please contact us for a bespoke quote for your organisation.