Greener facilities

We will ensure that sustainability is at the forefront of improvements and refurbishments to our sites and facilities, with patient and staff wellbeing at the core. This will range from new building work, to greater digitalisation of our ways of working.

Paper-free progress

We are making good progress towards becoming a completely paper-free organisation. All the information relating to our adult patients is now available to clinicians electronically, following a project to digitise all paper records held at our hospitals. The project won Health Tech Digital’s ‘Innovation project of the year’ award in 2020, and involved digitising patients’ records held at three main record library sites, where around two million patient files were stored, freeing up valuable space to be reinvested into patient care.  

Green spaces resource

Did you know that spending just 5 minutes a day amongst nature, by a body of water or in an urban green space can improve our mental health and wellbeing?

We want to encourage our staff, patients, and their loved ones, to use the urban green spaces that surround our hospitals. Working with Imperial Health Charity, we are in the process of creating a green-spaces resource that provides walking routes, directions, and information for the green spaces, parks, and local points of interest surrounding our 5 sites, including Western Eye and Queen Charlotte's.

Click on the links below to learn more about the impact spending time in nature can have on our mental health below:

• The relationship between mental health and blue/green spaces
• The importance of greenspace for mental health
• World Health Organisation Report: Green and blue spaces and the impact upon mental health
  
  

Sanctuary garden at Charing Cross Hospital

Located near the Margravine Road entrance, the garden is designed as a peaceful outdoor space for anyone experiencing the grief and sadness of losing a loved one. It's also intended as quiet area for staff looking to take a moment away from the wards and switch off from the pressures of work. 

The garden was designed by Dario Pizzi Design, with additional support from Gardencraft and Allgreen. It was funded by Imperial Health Charity, as the latest in a series of improvements to green spaces at our hospitals.

It first opened in June 2023, transforming a previously neglected outdoor area, but had to be closed a few months later after a leak was discovered in the roof. Huge thanks to the many people involved in the extensive maintenance works, especially the estates and sustainability teams, and garden designers Beth and Dario from Dario Pizzi Design.

Working with Sunscreen IT to reuse old IT equipment

We have worked with Sunscreen IT to take our old IT equipment, such as computers and monitors, and deliver them to communities that need them. Schools identified to be in economic need in places across Africa and the UK are given IT equipment. Any computers and equipment taken to schools in need is cleaned and refurbished to the highest standard. Teaching and coaching is also provided to teachers to help improve computer literacy, and provide vital skills in areas where it is needed most.

Further reading and inspiration

• NHS Forest: new research looks at value of NHS green space for workplace wellbeing
• The NHS Forest
• NHS Lothian: NHS Lothian publishes ground-breaking biodiversity audit
• Simulation of hospital waste supply chain in the context of industry