UHSM wins twice at Guardian Public Service Awards
“I am happy to join Paul Goggins MP in congratulating UHSM on its fantastic achievement. As he knows, his local hospital did that by reducing its energy consumption and carbon emissions in ways such as the greater use of biomass fuels. It is a fantastic achievement and the staff should be justifiably proud of it. They are a beacon for other hospitals to follow to reach the same level of sustainability.
Simon Burns MP
Health Minister
UHSM has been awarded the top prize at the Guardian Public Services Awards 2010 for reducing its energy consumption and carbon emissions by 26% over the last three years, saving £15,000 and also improving health outcomes. As well as the Overall Winner Award, UHSM also won the Sustainability prize.
All of the organisations that won individual categories were considered for the overall award, and UHSM beat eleven other category winners to win the top prize.
At the awards ceremony in London, broadcaster Jeremy Vine who hosted the event said: “With efficiency and sustainability at the forefront of the public services agenda, the judges thought the long-term energy and cost savings planned at both of the trust’s hospitals made it an extremely worthy Overall Winner this year. In addition to its use of sustainable technology, Wythenshawe - which aims to be Britain’s greenest hospital - actively engages staff to share in its ambition through the provision of employee allotments, cycle to work and car sharing schemes, and the judges said it was an excellent example of best practice.”
David Brindle, The Guardian’s Public Services Editor, said: “UHSM has done something extra special, which has the potential to be a model for hospitals all over the country. Over the past three years the trust's Carbon Management Implementation Plan, developed in partnership with the Carbon Trust, has smashed its initial targets and reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions by 26%. This has been achieved through use of innovative green technologies and by embedding sustainability principles in the organisation. As a result, the trust expects to make savings of £15,000 through energy saving this year, as well as reaping the benefits of a healthier workforce and healthier local community.”
As overall winner, UHSM was described by the judges as "genuinely outstanding". Today’s Guardian states: "From farmers' markets to biomass boilers, Wythenshawe Hospital is putting sustainability at the heart of its infrastructure."
It cites UHSM’s initiatives to reduce energy consumption and associated carbon emissions by 26% in the last 3 years, investment in biomass boilers, work to make older buildings more energy-efficient as well as the staff car share scheme, cycle to work scheme and monthly farmers markets, staff allotment and plans to launch a staff healthy lifestyle club.
Full details of all the winners are online at www.guardian.co.uk/publicservicesawards.