Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust spends nearly £3million on water, waste and energy in one year

Heard at the Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust Annual General Meeting (AGM), held on Monday, September 30, around £2.8million was spent on these amenities across NHS sites in South Wiltshire, North and East Dorset and South West Hampshire.

And after hitting previous carbon reduction targets, the trust is now working towards a 28 per cent reduction by 2020, from the 2013 baseline.

During the meeting, spectators heard that the trust has undergone a series of transformations in its bid to become more sustainable, including improving environmental controls when refurbishing wards, for example LED lighting and upgraded ventilation systems, an introduction to new vehicles which have lower carbon emissions, and a cycle to work scheme for staff.

There has also been a minimising of waste going to landfill, as more black bag waste is processed as an alternative fuel source.

And through the trust's recycling centre, more and more unused and unwanted office equipment and furniture has been transformed through a volunteer scheme, with 1,020 crutches and walking aids getting recycled just this year.

Other successes for the trust this year were celebrated at the AGM, including receiving an overall rating of 'Good' in its most recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection, being one of the first NHS trusts awarded with 'Veteran Aware' accreditation, and being accepted onto the Helpforce Learning Network, a national network for volunteering.

And despite being described as a "challenge" by chief executive of the trust, Cara Charles-Barks, the hospital doors stayed open throughout the 2018 nerve agent attack, which has been recorded as the longest running major incident in the 70-year history of the NHS.

An excerpt from her statement said: “For our staff it was business as usual - whatever area of the trust they worked in- doing their best to provide an outstanding experience for every patient.”