By Healthcare Facilities Today

New hospital energy efficiency initiatives are set to generate savings of almost 14 million pounds a year that the UK National Health Service will instead spend on patients, according to an article on the Business Green website.

Just under 70 hospitals will receive a share of a 50 million pounds designed to cut the NHS's 600 million-pound annual energy bill and drive down carbon emissions.

The Department of Health said the expected savings of 13.7 million pounds a year is enough to pay for 18,500 cataract operations or 2,300 hip replacements, while the plans will also reduce annual energy consumption by almost 200 million kilowatts, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 5.6 million tons, the article said.

The winning plans include 525,000 pounds to help Cornwall Partnership Foundation Trust reduce staff travel by 750,000 miles a year through a combination of electric cars, new conferencing equipment, and a more efficient appointments system, saving the hospital an annual 326,069 pounds in fuel and energy costs.

Read the article.