The Sustainability Strategy supports the wider, trust strategy and contributes to achieving our vision: to deliver the right care, at the right time, in the right place; every time.

It outlines what we will do over the next three years to become more sustainable and have a positive effect on our communities and the environment. It is all about achieving our aim to: work together to shape a better future.

Sustainability isn’t just about reducing carbon emissions. Sustainability looks at ways to minimise harm to the environment while benefiting our communities and making decisions that support the financial health of the organisation.

What we’re going to do

In the interests of environmental sustainability, we will:

  • reduce trust vehicle emissions
  • make our buildings more energy efficient
  • increase staff involvement and commitment to environmental sustainability through targeted initiatives
  • educate our workforce to be carbon literate, in line with Silver Carbon Literacy award
  • reduce the amount of general waste we produce
  • reduce waste from single use plastics, packaging on supplies, and hazardous wastes from our workshop activities
  • increase segregation of clinical waste streams

For social value and responsibility, we will:

  • increase the number of NWAS employees from North West localities
  • build social value principles into contract specifications and tender processes with new and existing suppliers
  • increase procurement from local supply chains
  • work collaboratively with patients and the wider population to improve services

For population health, we will:

  • improve patient data collection including demographics and information about referrals and outcomes
  • expand public health expertise within the organisation
  • support staff to develop their understanding of public health and prevention, empowering them to ‘make every contact count’
  • build prevention into our operational model, including improving access to alternative care services, to help people stay well

For financial sustainability, we will:

  • continue to apply effective financial governance and controls
  • use existing assets wherever possible
  • reduce inefficiencies and waste to achieve local and national efficiency targets
  • work together with Integrated Care Systems (ICS’) to deliver a balanced net system financial position
  • ensure investment decisions achieve value for money by embedding revised HM Treasury Green Book principles
  • implement strategic prioritisation for capital investment

How we will measure success

We will know if we’re getting it right because we will see:

  • progress towards achieving government ‘NetZero’ targets by 2040
  • agreement of “anchor principles” that support our role as an organisation with influence on the wellbeing of the populations we serve
  • close working with partner organisations to improve the health of the population across the North West
  • smart use of financial resources to deliver safe, effective and sustainable patient care at every opportunity

What does this mean for me?

Patients and the public:

  • you will have access to non-clinical pathways which better suit your needs
  • you will have employment opportunities at NWAS and be supported throughout the application process
  • you will be assured that NWAS is using its limited financial resources in an efficient way, which positively impacts the communities in which you live and work

Staff:

  • you will have the opportunity to develop your understanding of environmental sustainability and work towards becoming “carbon literacy” trained
  • you will have a better understanding of health inequalities and how you can positively impact people experiencing unfair differences in health

Our organisation and the partners we work with:

  • our partners in the healthcare system will have access to useful information from our data and will be able to use this to develop and make improvements to their services
  • our sustainability priorities will compliment those of organisations in the wider health and social care system, working together to make the biggest possible difference