In June 2019, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NUTH) became the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a Climate Emergency,  recognising that a climate emergency is also a health emergency, and committed to becoming a net-zero carbon organisation by 2040.

In response, the Green Nephrology Group at NUTH developed a roadmap with the aim of minimising the environmental impact incurred across its Renal Services. It approached the Sustainable Healthcare Coalition to help it undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental impacts of renal services; identify common metrics and opportunities for reduction that can be deployed at NUTH Freeman Hospital and beyond; and facilitate the development of a more sustainable care pathway for End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD).

The results of an assessment of the environmental impacts associated with provision of in-centre haemodialysis (ICHD) at NUTH provides the first step in NUTH’s roadmap towards delivery of a carbon net-zero renal care pathway and is now the subject of a new case study.

It is hoped that the findings of this assessment will help support NUTH Renal Services and its suppliers in delivering its sustainability ambitions and contribute to the NHS England target to become net zero by 2040.