Correspondence Mar. 26 2024
Committee: Health and Social Care Committee (Department: Department of Health and Social Care)Found: Minister of State on update on funding of the Agenda for Change pay deals for non-NHS organisations 21.03.24
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made with NHS England of the cost of carbon footprint reporting by NHS Trusts.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In 2021, NHS England published the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap, which sets out a series of milestones to support National Health Service suppliers in aligning with NHS Net Zero ambitions. The 2027 requirement for suppliers to publicly report targets and emissions, and publish a Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) for global emissions aligned with the NHS Net Zero targets, will build on milestones implemented in 2023 and 2024. Further information on the roadmap is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/get-involved/suppliers/
The 1 April 2023 milestone required that suppliers bidding for any new contracts above £5 million per annum publish a CRP for their United Kingdom scope one and two emissions, and a subset of scope three emissions, as a minimum. This requirement was proportionately extended to all new procurements from April 2024, with a full CRP required for new procurements above £5 million per annum, and new frameworks operated by in-scope organisations. A Net Zero Commitment is required for procurements of lower value, as set out in the guidance, which is available at the following link:
NHS England has proactively engaged with suppliers prior to and since the launch of the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap, and continues to engage with regulators, suppliers, and industry bodies ahead of implementing future roadmap milestones, including the April 2027 milestone. NHS England’s engagement approach has included regular supplier forums with trade bodies and external webinars, as well as horizon scanning of the global and UK regulatory and reporting landscapes.
A key enabler of decarbonising the NHS supply chain is to ensure our suppliers begin to understand and communicate the potential impacts of the products they supply. In doing so, we will always seek that product data asks be clear, and will not place a disproportionate burden or cost on the supply chain, whilst delivering on the purpose of the policy.
The NHS has committed to working with suppliers and regulators to determine the scope and methodology of new requirements that enable information sharing regarding the carbon impact of products supplied to the NHS. These requirements are due to be introduced from April 2028, with NHS England currently undertaking engagement in the policy development phase, including aligning with the Government’s medical technology strategy. Details around policy requirements are still being scoped, and as part of this process, we will seek to incorporate the feedback of the supply chain, and will take into account any concerns raised regarding the potential impact on the availability of devices. the Government’s Medical technology strategy is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/medical-technology-strategy
NHS trusts are required to provide an annual summary of progress on delivery of their Green Plan, however there is no requirement for trusts to carry out carbon footprinting, as NHS England provides annual estimates of the total NHS carbon footprint in the NHS England Annual Report and Accounts.
Jul. 07 2008
Source Page: Developing the NHS performance regime. 72 p.Found: Developing the NHS performance regime. 72 p.
Apr. 15 2024
Source Page: Annual report on procurement activity in Scotland 2021-2022Found: Health NHS Highland Health NHS Lanarkshire Health NHS Lothian Health NHS National Procurement
Mar. 28 2024
Source Page: Implementing the 2024/25 contract changes to personal medical services and alternative provider medical services contractsFound: the 2024/25 contract changes to personal medical services and alternative provider medical services contracts
May. 08 2024
Source Page: Antimicrobial Products Subscription Model: guidance on commercial arrangementsFound: To minimise repetition, the term ‘contracting authorities’ is used to mean NHS England, NHS Scotland,
Mentions:
1: Leonard, Richard (Lab - Central Scotland) The then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that that hospital was going to be taken back into NHS - Speech Link
2: None That team also includes NHS Scotland Assure colleagues, who are focused specifically on this issue and - Speech Link
3: None For example, we have worked with NHS Highland and the Highland Council to help them put in place arrangements - Speech Link
4: None Obviously there is a distinction to be drawn between NHS projects and the ones in education and justice - Speech Link
5: Leonard, Richard (Lab - Central Scotland) We have the chief executive of NHS Scotland coming before the committee before we break for summer recess - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Victoria Atkins (Con - Louth and Horncastle) their members for a vote with a recommendation that they accept.SAS doctors are a vital part of the NHS - Speech Link
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department and NHS England have made of (a) the potential impact on the availability of appropriate medical devices on the NHS of the requirement for suppliers to report the carbon footprint of all their products available across the NHS and (b) the cost of this requirement to NHS suppliers.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In 2021, NHS England published the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap, which sets out a series of milestones to support National Health Service suppliers in aligning with NHS Net Zero ambitions. The 2027 requirement for suppliers to publicly report targets and emissions, and publish a Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) for global emissions aligned with the NHS Net Zero targets, will build on milestones implemented in 2023 and 2024. Further information on the roadmap is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/get-involved/suppliers/
The 1 April 2023 milestone required that suppliers bidding for any new contracts above £5 million per annum publish a CRP for their United Kingdom scope one and two emissions, and a subset of scope three emissions, as a minimum. This requirement was proportionately extended to all new procurements from April 2024, with a full CRP required for new procurements above £5 million per annum, and new frameworks operated by in-scope organisations. A Net Zero Commitment is required for procurements of lower value, as set out in the guidance, which is available at the following link:
NHS England has proactively engaged with suppliers prior to and since the launch of the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap, and continues to engage with regulators, suppliers, and industry bodies ahead of implementing future roadmap milestones, including the April 2027 milestone. NHS England’s engagement approach has included regular supplier forums with trade bodies and external webinars, as well as horizon scanning of the global and UK regulatory and reporting landscapes.
A key enabler of decarbonising the NHS supply chain is to ensure our suppliers begin to understand and communicate the potential impacts of the products they supply. In doing so, we will always seek that product data asks be clear, and will not place a disproportionate burden or cost on the supply chain, whilst delivering on the purpose of the policy.
The NHS has committed to working with suppliers and regulators to determine the scope and methodology of new requirements that enable information sharing regarding the carbon impact of products supplied to the NHS. These requirements are due to be introduced from April 2028, with NHS England currently undertaking engagement in the policy development phase, including aligning with the Government’s medical technology strategy. Details around policy requirements are still being scoped, and as part of this process, we will seek to incorporate the feedback of the supply chain, and will take into account any concerns raised regarding the potential impact on the availability of devices. the Government’s Medical technology strategy is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/medical-technology-strategy
NHS trusts are required to provide an annual summary of progress on delivery of their Green Plan, however there is no requirement for trusts to carry out carbon footprinting, as NHS England provides annual estimates of the total NHS carbon footprint in the NHS England Annual Report and Accounts.
Mentions:
1: Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab - Life peer) Service contracts lack incentive for multidisciplinary care and reform is needed to ensure that this - Speech Link
2: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (XB - Life peer) Many of the bureaucratic blocks could be overcome by honouring contracts that have all staff working - Speech Link
3: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Con - Life peer) I ask my noble friend directly: does he agree that neither GPs nor their contracts currently prevent - Speech Link
4: Lord Allan of Hallam (LD - Life peer) It is about writing better contracts and being more insistent with those you are contracting with. - Speech Link
5: Lord Markham (Con - Life peer) and funding, as the noble Baroness, Lady Redfern, also mentioned, the primary care contracts are kept - Speech Link