THE NHS body that covers Tameside is celebrating after being awarded an eight-figure sum of funding for green projects.
Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust has been given £14.4 million through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS).
The money from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and delivered by Salix will enable it to decommission its ageing gas-powered steam heating system and replace it with modern air source heat pumps.
Alongside this, the project will deliver a number of energy efficiency upgrades, including enhanced insulation, solar panel installation, LED lighting improvements, and SMART metering.
Once complete, the initiative is expected to reduce the trust’s emissions by 2,188 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent every year – the equivalent to a bus driving around the world 480 times.
It will deliver a 23 per cent reduction in the emissions the trust directly controls.
It recently announced a joint green plan with Stockport NHS Foundation Trust as both recognise the climate emergency is also a health emergency and carbon emissions must reduce in order to reduce the associated health inequalities.
“This funding marks a major milestone in our journey toward net zero,” said Gareth Hughes, director of estates and facilities at Tameside and Glossop NHS Foundation Trust.
“By modernising our infrastructure, we’re not only reducing our environmental impact but also creating a more comfortable, reliable, and resilient environment for patients and staff.
“These improvements will help us deliver better care in facilities that are efficient all year round.”
Director of public sector decarbonisation at Salix Ian Rodger added: “Reaching net zero is one of our most urgent challenges, and the NHS is stepping up with determination and real progress.
“At Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, this work not only cuts carbon emissions but also creates warmer, more comfortable environments for staff, visitors and, above all, the patients who matter most.
“This is the future of healthcare, creating sustainable, resilient and centred on the people who matter most and we’re proud to deliver the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to achieve this.”