First Green Flag Hospital in the World
Nov 21, 2016 -
Author: Tony McNamara, CEO, Cork University Hospital Group
In 2014, Cork University Hospital became the first hospital in the world to be awarded the Green Flag by the Federation for Environmental Education, an international accrediting body, following an extensive external assessment of the hospital. This followed two years of preparatory work and significant commitment on the part of the 4,000 staff working in the hospital to embed good practice in respect of environmental issues in the culture of the hospital.
This raises important questions. Why should healthcare providers be interested in the environment and what should healthcare leaders do to promote this agenda?
Cork University Hospital occupies almost 50 acres in the centre of a residential area and with c. 500,000 patient interactions each year, is a major generator of traffic, waste, energy, footfall and all that goes with an organization of its size. This places on the hospital, significant responsibilities to take its community and environmental obligations seriously. In addition government targets across all departments of state to achieve reduced energy usage by 2020 demand that state bodies look creatively at how best this can be done in a sustainable way.
There is also the very practical issue of cost as a motivator to increase the use of recyclable products as a substitute for other more expensive waste options and to reduce energy consumption by improving energy management systems and increasing the awareness of staff as to the need for efficient use of resources.
Hospitals are akin to mico-ecosystems in which actions taken in one area have a downstream effect on other aspects of the organization and so it is with embedding environmental awareness in every department. Our Catering Department for example which produces 1,000,000 meals every year are now actively looking at how we can increase the use of natural food as the raw material as a substitute for mass produced raw materials.
These are some of the compelling reasons that motivated the leadership in the Hospital to take seriously the environmental agenda to create an entity that could act as a model for other hospitals in Ireland and abroad. So what specific initiatives has the Hospital engaged in that merited this award and which will, we hope, ensure its perpetuation when the Green Flag status is reassessed in 2017?
In the first instance leadership in the Hospital has set aside an annual budget for investment in improving the physical appearance of the hospital and has been very well supported by HSE Estates who have recognized the need for significant investment in energy, waste and water management systems that are sustainable and of benefit to the environment. The following provides an indication of some initiatives that have become embedded in the culture of Cork University Hospital in support of creating and maintain a “greener environment”.
- Reducing energy consumption;
- Reducing water consumption and increasing leak detection;
- Reducing clinical waste and increasing the level of recyclable products;
- Reducing food waste;
- Establishing a register of opportunities for improvements in relation to environmental issues;
- Promoting a culture of awareness of environmental issues in the Hospital;
- Participating in the EPA Green Healthcare Programme;
- Improving buildings to increase energy efficiency and sustainability;
- Exploring procurement options that are sensitive to the environment;
- Implementing a plan for improved landscaping of the Hospital;
- Promoting travel arrangements that are alternatives to car use.
One of the overriding objectives for Cork University Hospital is to play our role in working to achieve a 33% reduction in energy consumption by 2020 and some of the initiatives already referenced will contribute to this goal. The trend line for the attainment of this target is presented in Figure 1 and indicates that the Hospital is on target to achieve this reduced level of energy consumption and further investment of €500,000 in a new energy system in 2017 will accelerate further reductions in energy usage.
Figure 1 Glide Plan to Reduce Energy Use by 33% by 2020
The various initiatives that have been implemented as part of the sustainable environment in Cork University Hospital bear testament to what can be achieved to support the environment and in parallel to reduce costs. We will continue to support this programme in the Hospital and encourage other hospitals in Ireland and internationally to embrace the creation of a sustainable environment that is in the interest of this and future generations.
J.A. McNamara, Chief Executive Officer
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