Ecological footprint of the NHS in England and Wales in 2001^w5

Consumed 2.4 million tonnes of resources (excluding water and oxygen)

Almost 400 000 tonnes, or 15%, was discarded as waste

Over 1 million tonnes remained within the NHS as stock

Generated 3.2 million tonnes of emissions to the air, of which 99.6% was carbon dioxide

Consumed over 1.3 million tonnes of products, at an estimated value of �11.6bn

Was supplied with 49.8 million litres of water, of which 14% was lost through leakage

Consumed 12 650 GWh of energy (1% of the total energy consumed in England and Wales), of which 62% was from gas

Consumed more than 1 million tonnes of fuels to deliver the energy

Was accessed by staff, patients, and visitors who travelled almost 25 billion passenger kilometres for NHS related purposes, of which 83% was by car or van

Extra references

HM Treasury. 2004 Spending review. Stability, security and opportunity for all: investing for Britain�s long-term future. New public spending plans 2005-2008. London: Stationery Office, 2004.

NHS Purchasing and Supplies Agency. Business plan 2006/07. www.pasa.doh.gov.uk/publications/business_plan_20062007.pdf (accessed 1 Jun 2006).
Department of Health. Chief executive�s report to the NHS: December 2005. London: DoH, 2005.
Department of Health. Departmental report 2006. London: Stationery Office, 2006.
Royal Society for Nature Conservation. Material health: a resource flow and ecological footprint of the NHS. www.materialhealth.com/downloads/Material%20Health%20-%20summary.pdf (accessed 26 May 2006).
Odigwe C. New report evaluates environmental impact of NHS [news extra]. BMJ 2004;328:1036. doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7447.1036-e
Department of Health. The NHS plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform. London: Stationary Office, 2000.
Department of Health. NHS improvement plan 2004: putting people at the heart of public services. www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPAmpGBrowsableDocument/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4097241&chk=urc02e (accessed 2 Jun 2006).
Department of Health. Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services. Norwich: Stationery Office, 2006. (Cmnd 6737.)
Office of Government Commerce. Achieving sustainable construction procurement. www.ogc.gov.uk/embedded_object.asp?docid=1039 (accessed 2 Jun 2006).
Department of Health. Sustainable development: environmental strategy for the National Health Service. London: Stationery Office, 2005. (www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4119710&chk=DW5Afd)
NHS Healthy Urban Development Unit. Watch out for health�planning checklist. www.healthyurbandevelopment.nhs.uk/documents/planning_checklist/Watch_Out_For_Health_Planning_Checklist.pdf (accessed 2 Jun 2006).