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The North East Ambulance Service has been nationally recognised for its work to combat climate change across the North East, by being awarded the Carbon Saver’s Sustainability Standard ‘Triple Crown’ Certificate.
The award is only granted to a limited number of organisations across the UK and recognises the Trust’s on-going work to reduce carbon emissions across the service.
In 2023/24, the ambulance service’s emergency crews and patient transport service completed over 770,000 journeys to the region’s hospitals and primary care providers. In total, the service operates over 450 vehicles across the Trust and responds to the regions 2.7 million people, spanning over 3,200 miles.
Since 2021, the service has embarked on several projects to reduce its environmental impact, headed up by its Environmental Sustainability and Facilities Manager, Martin Gibson.
“I’m really proud of the work we’ve been able to do since I joined the service in 2022. So far, we’ve made massive strides towards helping future proof the service’s estate whilst also decarbonising the energy we us in our buildings, reducing carbon emissions, and saving the NHS money.
“The cumulative impact of the projects that we’ve embarked on already have helped us reduce our carbon emissions by more than 60% which is an incredible achievement. I look forward to continuing our work and helping ensure that we can provide sustainable healthcare to all of our patients, now and in the future.”
Martin Gibson, Environmental Sustainability and Facilities Manager, North East Ambulance Service.
Overall, the ambulance service was found to have reduced its carbon emissions by 7.4% in the past year; 2.4% more than forecasted in its sustainability action plan.
Some of the projects the service has undertaken since 2022 include:
- The installation of air source heat pumps at Backworth, Seaham, Bishop Auckland, Gateshead, Hartlepool, and Morpeth ambulance stations
- Addition of 128kW battery storage system at Ashington station
- Introduction of solar panels at Morpeth, Wallsend, Blucher and Hartlepool stations
- The opening of the UK’s first ever carbon-neutral tri-station in Hebburn, in collaboration with blue light colleagues at Northumbria Police and Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue Service
- No-idling collaboration project with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle Hospitals to reduce the amount of carbon emissions created at the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, the Freeman Hospital and the Royal Victoria Infirmary
NEAS Director of Finance and Digital, Tarryn Lake, oversees the Trust’s estates and sustainability teams. On receiving the certificate, she said: “Climate change is now viewed as one of the leading threats to the health and wellbeing of millions of people across the world. As a healthcare service, it’s our responsibility to do our bit to combat it and the minimise its impact on our region.
“This is part of our ongoing commitment to creating a more environmentally sustainable service and demonstrates the incredible work our estates and sustainability teams have done over the past year.”
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