ELFT’s Green Plan Refresh workshop

The workshop was held on Friday 28 March, at 1-4pm in the ELFT conference room in the Trust HQ, to refresh ELFT’s Green Plan goals and focus towards achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040 on direct emissions and 2045 on those we can influence.

The Green Team, service users, ICB leads and stakeholders met to help co-design the plan as part of the Trust’s continued commitment to reduce carbon emissions, drive value and improve efficiency across operations.

Adam Toll, Net Zero Lead and Assistant Director of Estates, opened the event and provided context and guidance from NHS England. This was followed by Dr Paul Lomax, Clinical Lead, who emphasised a move towards normalising that ‘sustainable healthcare is just good healthcare’.

ICB Green Leads from North East London (NEL), Rebecca Waters, and Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK), Tim Simmance, presented their ideas and advice to ELFT in implementing the next Green Plan. Tim suggested there are three things to prioritise: direct action, improving external spaces, and celebrating individual and team action more effectively.

Sian Hodgkinson, People Participation Lead for sustainability, later presented following a brief break which led into a Green Plan Refresh design co-activity. The workshop concluded with further questions and closing remarks.

Adam Toll said: “An engaging and fruitful discussion on all areas of our carbon footprint took place and the insights shared there will inform the next three years of our plan.

“The comments and suggestions will now be threaded through the plan and this will be ratified by ELFT board and the ICB in the coming months.”